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L /■ •>'/ t n • ^''j^',jki ;;7tf HERITAGE OF PERIL lie made a quick movement as if to strike tlie cup from her hand. rag.- o» nance ami dread of the brutal qualltie. which Ml she could detect in his character. tnougnt Such a companionship puzzled the girl; and as she de hghted ,n problems of the kind, stfy^^Z^ Z^'^ porter came to say that her train was coming i„ She put away her knitting, gathered up her vet^l^'tv t >-pngs, and followed the porter o« of th"^ ^b. as^shTprr * ^™" ""^ " "'^^ " <^ »ft-- " The instant she stepped on to the platform her ouick Tthe^^f 7V' " '""""^ «™8Sle that was g^i^ot Si a mtut "^"^ '" *' --ting-room. Less than she h,rr , f^"^"™ 'oW her what it meant; and handcuff, shpped over the man's wrists, and knew that ne had been arrested. stantly, fflled w,th pity for the woman whose looks hadTo mterested her and hurried back to warn her. She w« turned dead white and trembled, looking as thoueh she would faiM. But a violent effort gave h^ sel^ss « «.ough to listen to and take Dessie's urgent aKte she should fly at once. She sprang to hfr feet, and !uh hasty and somewhat hysterical and inco.herei^t thanks ^rir^i^^for -»■" "^ *' ^-^ »- *- »«-'-«' The giri had then to hurry to catch her train, and as her carriage glided out of the station she saw hTml group of men still at the end of the platform ,h! with the handcuffs standing in the oZ^JZ'^fn'iZ towenng over the others, while his dark, handsome^ I f Prologue p looked so evil and brutal and menacing that Dessie was glad she had been able to help the woman to escape, and said to herself that she would not be in such a man's power for all that the world contained. She was more than ever puzzled by the problem of such a strange companionship, and sat lost in speculation and wonder as to its meaning. A minute or two later, she took down her handbag to get her knitting, and then she made a very unpleasant discovery. In the hurry of warning the woman in the waiting- room, and in the excitement that followed, they had changed hand-bags. The mishap vexed the girl greatly, and in some respects was rather a serious thing. Her own bag had contained a number of little things which were of no value, but of great use; while one loss was considerable— her purse. Her ticket would have gone, too, had it not been that she had taken it out of her purse, and slipped it into her glove, to be in readiness. But the stupidity of the thing irritated her more than the loss. " If this is the way I am going to fight my new battle." she said to herself, in her vexation, " I may as well give it up at the start." But her practical common sense as- serted itself as she thought further. " My name— at least the name, Dessie Merrion— is in the bag, and the name and address of the people to whom I am going; so that, unless that woman is very different from what' I think! she'll send it back to me. It's lucky there's nothing in it to connect me with the past, though even if there had been, she could hardly do much, after what I've seen to- day. What a coincidence that two women so placed, each at the turning comer of life, should jostle one another for a moment at a railway station. I wonder whether she would have repulsed me as she did if she had lO The Heritage of Peril known, or whether her kinder nature would have spared me a word of good cheer. I should have liked one from Then the girl leant back in the carriage to think. She was indeed, at the turning comer of life, as she had said She was flying from a past which the crime sm. and shame of others had gloomed and darkened In bitter experiences, she was twice her age, and if vicious allurements and surroundings, evil counsel and tempta- Z h?r IJlT ^"^^^^.^'T ^^^' «he would have faUen. u f 2; *! P""'>' ^^ ^'■"«*J her through all un- scathed She had stayed by her mother's side unt 1 the htter's d«.th had set her free to act for herself, but Uth a c^m of secret sorrow to drag heavily at her heels. She had cut herself adrift from the old life with one ^Hc.^!^^ T^ '?"'" ^' '''^^'^ ^° her own, and stL bv nh; ''•''' *'"" "^"'"^^ ^ ^'' '"^^^ "^-^t Easily stort. by obtammg a situation as nursery governess. She was 0^ her way to thi^the family being that of a wl .J.' ""i ' "™^ ^'''^''' "* Hendon-when she met with the adventure at Birmingham. Something of what the adventure might mean to her she hegzn to understand a little later, when she roused herself from her reverie and began to examine the hand- bag which she had brought away in mistake Her first thought was to look for some clue to the iden- tity of the owner, in order to write to her; but the has contained nothing in the nature of such a clue. Besides a very few of the trifles which women carry on a journey -a piece of tatting work, some hairpins, a button hook, etc. etc.-she found in it a handkerchief, new and un- marked ; a pair of gloves, also new ; a beautiful and costly ivory case of needlework requisites-quite out of char- Prologue II acter with the bag itself and everything in it ; an envelope with a curl of golden hair— a child's; a child's photo- graph, much thumbed and broken at the comers, and stamed as if with blistering tears. The girl gazed at this with the wistful half-sad intensity of a woman in whom the mstincts of maternity were strong. Then thinking she could trace in the child's face the look which she had seen in the woman's eyes, she smiled to it, as if the little thing could understand, and kissed the face. The last thing she scrutinised was the most incon- gruous of all— an old, large, shabby leather cigar case, one side of which was much bulged out by the contents. It was as ill-fitted a companion for the lovely, dainty needlework case as the respective owners had seemed to be to each other. She opened it, and what she had seen of the man deter- mined her to examine it closely. On one side there were two cigars: very good and costly, as the girl was suffi- cient judge to know. She scanned them closely, and then peered down into the empty side from which she had taken them. But her curiosity was much more eager concerning a very thick cake of tobacco, which was in the opposite side of the case, and had caused the bulge that had attracted her notice. She drew it out carefully, and then examined it with the most scrupulous minuteness. She knew that she was handling the property of a scoundrel, and her old associa- tions inclined her to suspect it was there for a special pur- pose. Her sharp eyes soon detected a crack in the to- bacco, and a very little manoeuvring and working enabled her to see that it was a cunningly-contrived hiding-place. As she opened it she gave vent to a low exclamation. Artfully hidden in it was a piece of tarnished gold, in which were set three huge red stones. The girl, who 12 The Heriuge of Peril knew something of jewels, believed them to be rubies of the purest water, and knew that if genuine, they were worth thousands of pounds. As she looked at them she almost held her breath in mingled astonishment, admiration and bewilderment. Her first thought was of the temptation which such a possession constituted. She had but to discontinue her journey, turn back, and take the jewels where she knew well they could be disposed of, and they would bring enough money to keep her beyond the reach of trouble all her life. The drudgery to which she was willingly and intentionally going would be unnecessary; and in its place ease, comfort, and independence would be in her reach. Moreover, she could do it with almost absolute safety. She was going in an assumed name to a place where not a soul knew her by sight; and the trail could be cut without the least difficulty, and with only the re- motest chance of her being found. But the temptation never held her for a moment. She hated crime and wrong-doing in every shape, and would as soon have leapt out of the train as have turned back to the life which had always been so hateful to her. Then the temptation took a subtler form. It might be all but impossible for Dessie to get rid of the jewels. She could give them back, of course, into the hands of the woman in whose bag they were ; but would this be possi- ble? She could read part of the riddle, she thought. Whatever might be the nature of the companionship of the strange couple whose path she had crossed that day, the man was a scoundrel, probably a thief, and these jewels were no doubt the proceeds of some robbery which he dared not get rid of for a while. Possibly he had an- ticipated the arrest which had taken place, and had put the cigar-case into the woman's bag for safety; and it Prologue ^3 wouM depend upon their reUtions whether the woman herself toiew they were there. So far as that was con- cerned. Dcssie could only wait for some communication. Meanwhile, her own position was one of extreme per- plexity. The woman who had her bag had her address ^.o and tnus could trace her if she went on to Mrs. ^!;l'u u ^""l "P *^' ™''*~' therefore, to anyone n? Jh ^^\ u "TT ^^'^^ "^"^ "^'"^ °^ P'«>^ i" writing of what she had done with them. She knew quite weU what she ought to do : Call the sution master a? the next X7r' ^Tt^" ^^' ^^ ''" ^'"^ ^»^* »»»<» happened, fell \'°" ^? ^"' °"*^ "^~*- The momenTthe ewcU go m to the hands of the police, they would ques- tion her dosely. and in such an examination there w2s no chance whatever of escaping an inquiry into her antece- d^ s and past life. That meant absolute ruin. soTar as ^nT i. u P'"'"' '^"' ^*^*^h She had only ob- tained w,t^ ^e greatest difficulty. Come what might she shut th rse out. therefore, as impossible. ^ Another j, .ole course ' as to send the jewels anony- mously to the p.:,ce. say at Birmingham, throu^the post. But from that she was cut off by the fact tLt Z owner o the b^ could trace her easily; and the result of .JJ'^t '^^ ''^'^^ ^'"'^^' °^ *^" J^^^J^ thrust her upon this dilemma She must either keep them for the pres^ o by retunung them, face exposure and the pro S of rum. She chose the former course, and naW chosen, she put back the rubies in their hiding-place and covering up the cigar case so that no chance prybg ^e should see that she possessed so strange a pi^Tof Z ^rhsh pi^perty. she set herself to think L her l^t 14 The Heritage of Peril She calculated that she could not hear from the owner of the bag in less than two days at least; perhaps she would come in person in search of the rubies; and until then the best way was the simplest— j"st to let everything go on as it would have gone, had she not unexpectedly succeeded to this most embarrassing heritage of prob- ably stolen property. When she knew more, she could lay further plans. It was not, however, until the fourth day that she heard anything; and then her own bag was returned with the contents intact anda letter. But the letter had neither address nor name, and it was moreover, most curiously and vaguely word'^d. It ran as follows :~ " No words that I can write can tell you what I owe you for what you did. You can have no knowledge of what you saved me from. I shall treasure your name as a holy thmg, and teach my child to love it. But the reason I cannot tell you. Save for the accident of the changed bags— for which I am more thankful than I can say— I should never have known your name. I send your bag back to you as I found it. Destroy that which you have. Of the contents, your own instincts will tell you what I should like to have again some day, if ever I can dare to make myself known to you and claim them. Till then keep them, if you can; if not, destroy them, or do with them as you will. May God for ever bless you and send you such a friend as I would love to be to you if I dared One kindness do me— forget all you saw when we met " Dessie read this letter over and over again, each time with some fresh cause of bewilderment as to the meaning which lay behind its extraordinary wording, and she spent many hours in trying to unravel the skein which seemed to form so completely tangled a web. Then on the third day she made her decision. Prologue I e SHe had left one connecting link with the past. No one knew where she had gone nor what name she had adopted; but there remained one means by which a letter could reach her. In her own name she had taken a safe at one of the Safe Deposit Companies in London, in order that she might have a perfectly secret address. She had had this hint from what she knew her father had done some years before. Her resolve now was to destroy nothing, but to use the safe for the deposit of the handbag and all its contents; and thus bury the secret where no one would ever think to look for It, and where both secret and jewels would be absolutely safe. She did more than this. Being a clever practical girl, she wrote out at considerable length all the circumstances of the adventure while they were fresh in her memory, and she enclosed the statement with the bag and Its strangely assorted contents. While doing this another idea occurred to her— to get together the fullest possible reports of the trial of the man she had seen arrested, and then judge whether in what transpired she could see a way to rid herself of the jewels without danger. In this again she acted with practical common-sense She sent for copies of the Birmingham papers of the days foUowmg the arrest, and having in that way traced the case from its earliest stage, she followed it to the end. It was a much more serious one than she had antici- pated. The man's crime was a murder committed in France— the murder of an old relative named Duvivier, under cir- cumstances of considerable cowardice and great cunning The arrest had been made under an extradition warrant and It appeared to have been the resiilf of a purely chance' meeting. The detectives being at Birmingham on another f i6 The Heritage of Peril matter, had seen and recognised their prisoner, whose name was Rolande Lespard, and they had taken him on the spot. The proceedings, first in England and then in France, dragged on for several months; but the girl followed them closely, and at length read that the man was sen- tenced, not to death, as he deserved, but to a term of four years at the galleys— the jury finding in the ill temper of the murdered man those extenuating circumstances which only a French jury know how to discover. But throtighout the whole proceedings from first to last not a syllable was said by anyone which could pos- sibly refer to the jewels. Dessie Merrion collected the papers, made a careful selection of the best reports, in English and French, and then added them to what she had already deposited in the safe. She resolved to preserve silence on her side too, and merely to wait, lest she should ever be questioned about her strange and embarrassing possession. For over three years she heard nothing. Then one day a letter came. She had left Mrs. Barker's and was living in rooms in London, and the letter followed her. Again there was no date, nor address, nor signature. " I want to warn you. I cannot yet make myself known to you, but you are in my thoughts every day. When I last wrote, I did not know what my bag contained, and what you will have found. The villain who put it there, and whose trial you have probably seen, is free, and has been to see me, thinking that what it contained would be in my possession. I told him how the change of bags had occurred; but he does not remember your looks in the least; and your name has never passed my lips, and Prologue 17 never shall. Pray Heaven you may never meet. If you do, shun him as you would, and do, sin. He is an utterly reckless, vicious, desperate, dangerous man. God help the woman who falls into his hands. If you love your life or your honour, do not be that woman. I and my child pray for you always ; I, as for a dear sister." The receipt of this letter gave Dessie Merrion food for much meditation ; but it did not disturb her as it would once have done. The chances of her ever meeting Ro- lande Lespard were so remote, and the chance that even so he would ever recognise her was so much more remote, that it seemed scarcely worth while to deem it a pos- sibility. " We can never meet," she thought. " Beside if we were to, I know him and could keep out of his way; he could not know me, and could have no motive in pursuing me. The secret is fast locked in the safe ; and so far as I am concerned, shall never come out while I live. I will never use the jewels ; but I will never give them up while there is the remotest chance that in doing so I shall bring trouble on myself. I may be able to give them up safely perhaps if the writer of the letter should make herself known to me— if ever. But I will never tell the secret. I shall never forget that man; and I believe I should know him among ten thousand, however disguised. The bare memory of his face sets me shuddering with loath- ing and fear. I am with the writer— I would not be in his power for all the world. No, we shall never meet. Though if we did, and if he recognised me "—she paused and shivered—" those jewels would be in all truth a heri- tage of peril.^ But it is impossible. I'll go to the safe to-morrow an'd put this letter with the other papers ; and this is probably the last I shall ever hear of the whole matter." i8 The Heritage of Peril o J!!f ^J'", "*"' ^^'' •"'"'t'on. and on the following day added the letter to the papers, some of which she took out and re-read with engrossing interest and curiosity. Then they were locked up again in the safe, as she then beheved, not to be disturbed for the rest of her Ufe The Heritage of Peril CHAPTER I THE PROSPECT OF PERIL Here's a health to the Old Bailey, Dessie, and long hfe to all the causes that give one a criminal practice and point the road to a marriageable income;" and the speaker, a handsome frank-faced man of about thirty, smiled to his hostess, lifted his small cup of tea, and drained it at a draught. Dessie Merrion laughed in response, and a happy light shone in her eyes, and a flush of colour tinged her rather pale cheeks at the reference in his last words. " Let's add, and good luck to the Press, Tom, and fo all who paved the way for the woman journalist." "A fairly comprehensive toast, taken altogether; but if you and I can't be generous when briefs are coming m, who can and when? I always did like it, but I shall be glad to see it changed." He spoke in a matter of fact tone that made the giri pucker her forehead, puzzled as to his meaning. " Oh," she cried, as a smile smoothed out the puckers and spread over her face, while she Hfted her left hand and kissed the engagement ring— a handsome diamond solitaire— that glistened on her finger " I couldn't think for the moment what you meant." " Puzzled you to think that I should want you changed in anything, eh? I don't, except in that. Heigho, what «9 20 The Heritage of Peril tunes we wiU have! Do you know I hate those beastly chambers of mine worse every time I go mto them? If my uncle hadn't been such a crotchety old idiot— dear old boy that he is— I shouldn't have had to go into them half so often ; and the world would have been spared an awful lot of profanity. I'm afraid it'll tell against the dear old chap when the reckoning comes. He knows all about it so he can't plead ignorance. If he'd been at the bar. he'd know what a frightful lot of work it takes to earn two hundred pounds a year." "But you're nearly doing it now? Besides, I could earn nearly that before I was ill." " Ah, but that doesn't count. He swears he'd never consent to the marriage at all if he thought you meant to do a smgle stroke of work to take you away from your real mission in life-looking after me. He knows my worth. ' ' "Or how much you need looking after," said Dessie. smilmg again. "I shouldn't give up my work without regret, for I know nothing in life so sweet as eamine ones — " * "Nothing?" interpolated Tom Cheriton, looking into her eyes, and taking her hand in his. " I wouldn't give it up for anyone but you," she an- swered. " The sooner it's over the better. I wish it was to be to-morrow, Dessie. Ever since you took that wret hed fever m that beastly slumming expedition of yours after ' realistic copy,' I've hated the thought of newspapers con- nected with you." " Yet it was the fever which gave me one of the two real friends I have in the world— Dora." " It very nearly robbed me of you altogether, child " said the man. tenderiy and lovingly. " And that thought The Prospect of Peril 21 underlies my opinion. Why, even now, you are as pale and weak as you can be." " I should have been dead had it not been for Dora's nursing. Dear little mass of inconsistencies that she is. Who would have dreamt that under that surface of frivolity and vanity and shallowness such a heart could beat. I only hope I may ever have a chance of repaying her." "Pretty young widows with five or six thousand a year don't stand in i.eed of much help as a rule." " Well, if ever the need came, I would venture my life for her, as she ventured hers for me." " As much of it as I could permit to be staked, I pre- sume you mean. But there can scarcely be any need. Her new husband will probably take care of that. Con- found it, to think that while we've been engaged twelve months, and may have another year to wait, she's only been engaged about a fortnight, and is already talking about being married. I believe they'll be married long before us, after all." " She is very much in love with him, at any rate. I never read such a letter as her lijst. She has exhausted a perfect conscript army of superlatives to express admira- tion. I wonder what he's like. Have you ever seen him. Tom ? " ' "Seen him? No, how could I ? They met somewhere on the Continent, and haven't been in town since. I never heard of the man. But I've seen poor George Vezey," and Cheriton laughed, good-humoredly. "Poor Mr. Vezey! I think he really cares for her much more than any of you will allow." *' How can a Johnnie like that have feelings ? " " He loves her, Tom, as surely— as surely as you love And I am sure this engagement will cut him to the me 22 The Heritage of Peril I quick. I know when a man's in earnest, and for all his affectations and surface silliness, George Vezey is a man, and would have made Dora a good husband. I only hope the man— what's his name?— this Count de Montalt, will make her as good a one. But what does Mr. Vezey say?" " Oh, you know his way, Dess ; well, if you can ima- gine what the effect of a spoonful of strong vinegar would be in a tin of Devonshire cream, you have his state of mind. He's as good-natured a fellow as ever stepped, but he hates this chap,de Montalt ; and it wouldn't be fair to take his evidence as without bias. What makes him more wild than enough, too, is that he himself introduced the Count— you should hear him say, the Count— he's like a dog that's got hold of a bit of peppered meat ; it's glorious fun. Poor old George! He won't say all he thinks; but it's easy to see what he thinks— that the man's a bad egg.** " I hope for Dora's sake he's too jealous to be right. She's just the woman whom a bad man would nearly kill." " Yes, she's a bit weak, isn't she? Wants such a hus- band, for instance, as — as — " he stopped and laughed very brightly, looking into her face with a challenge. " As I can't spare, eh ? " she replied, slipping her hand through his arm, and turning up her face. " Mr. Vanity." Then in a serious tone she added, " I shall be glad to see him and judge for myself. We must stand by Dora in this, Tom. I mean to ; and I'm bound to r ly I don't like the way this thing has started. I shouldn't be a bit sur- prised if her head's been turned by the man's handsome face, probably helped by a lot of the rubbishy things that most of you men think most of us women like— and he's snapped her up for the sake of her money." The Prospect of Peril 23 "Yes, I should think that's about it," he said with mock seriousness. " Oh, Dessic, what a detective you would make! Here you are, without a single fact or scrap of evidence, and yet you've got your theory of the crime quite pat—just like most police theories." " Well, we shall see. At least, I shall," she answered with a smile. " I don't care a bit what you say. I'm not a scrap biassed; but you'll see I'm about right." "Possibly; women are bom to guess. But now, I must be oflf. And look here, a word before I go. If you go dipping these little fingers "—and he held them up and kissed them as he spoke, slowly and with emphasis— •• into other people's hot pies, you mustn't be a bit sur- prised if you get them burnt, or at least manage to do no more than spill some of the grease and stain on your own clothes. Good-bye!" He laughed, kissed her two or three times very lovingly and then went out. Des8ie left alone, poured herself out another cup of tea and then, a pleasant smile playing over her face sat down and picked up a book that lay at hand. But instead of opening it to read she let it lie on her lap, and leant back thmking. Life had been going smoothly enough with her for some time past, and she had gradually pushed her way forward mto a position of independence. Two years at Mrs. Barkers as drudge and governess had been an in- valuable experience, drilling her into a condition of chronic patience under indescribably galling stings and provocation. Then a crisis had come through the utterly st'h^Tl r».°^ ' "^- ^^° ^"^ P^°^^^^^^ *« ^°^« her, and she had left her situation. But the step had really turned out for her benefit. She cttrfor ' 'Tt''' " «^^'"^ ^""^ ''^ «*0"- ac- cepted for some of the minor novelettes and periodicals 24 The Heritage of Peril and as at the time a longer tale had just been taken by one of the big religious publishing houses, she resolved to plunge boldly into the sea of minor literature and news- paper work, and trust to her own hands and brains for a living, without being at the beck and call of a capricious, narrow-minded and uncertain-tempered mistress. It had been a hard fight, but she had won. She had a natural knack of expressing her thoughts clearly, and as those thoughts originated in a heart the instincts and promptings of which were pure, sincere, religious, and sanguine, she found people to read what she wrote. The struggle had not been by any means won when Tom Cheriton and she met, however. It happened through some of her newspaper work ; and the two were instantly attracted to each other. Then came the illness to which they had referred— a very ugly attack of typhus, in which little Mrs. Dora Markham had saved Dessie's life, by her own personal devoted nursir as well as by the means which her wealth had enabl. J her to em- ploy. In that way Mrs. Markham had bound the girl to her by the bond of deep gratitude ; and it was this strong affection which had set her thinking so seriously about her friend's sudden engagement to a man of whom no one had ever heard a word, except that he was a sort of half-Frenchman, half-Englishman, whom she had met and fallen in love with at Ostend. Dessie was so happy 'n the love of such a man as Tom Cheriton that she wished Dora no better lot than a second marriage with a man as worthy. But she was vaguely doubtful of and preju- diced against the Count de Montalt. After Cheriton left she sat thinking closely and ear- nestly about it, when a telegram came from her friend. " Am home. Come and see me at once. Want to intro- duce you this evening. Stay the night." The Proipcct of Peril «5 Dcssie was bat a very few minutes making the neces- sary preparations; and then she hurried away to South Kensmgton, where the pretty young widow had a large house in Edgecumbe-square. The meeting was as cordial as it could be on both sides, and Mrs. Markham, who was full to the brim with one subject, overflowed instantly and poured out volumi- nous chatter about her lover. The description alone was enough to make Dessie un- comfortable. He was said to be a " tell, noble-looking, dark, gloriously handsome, and altogether splendid man with dark eyes that glowed with deep feeling and ten- derness Outside her own novelettes, she always asso- ciated that type with the one man, Rolande Lespard whom she knew to be so desperate a villam. That one man s appearance had prejudiced her against dark, hand- some men as a class; and the description now strength- ened her prejudice that this particular man was a fortune- hunter. She prepared herself, therefore, to dislike and suspect him. and when the time came for his arrival " to be intro- duced, she was half inclined to smile at herself for her condition of somewhat eager critical intolerance and dis- trust. Little Mrs. Markham :vas very serious " I do hope you'll like him, Dessie. I can't see how you can help it, but I do hope you will." This weakness was veiy characteristic. The giri made some general reply, and as she finished, the Count was announced Dora Markham blushed crimson, and went hurriedly to him and laid her hands in his. He took them and kissed them, as he smiled and looked very ardently into her face, ^ Then they turned together to Dessie. i6 The Heriuge of Peril She stood gripping the back of a chair and fighting for cabnness. r « --. She had recognised him the instant her eyes fell on Mm; and when, by a tremendous effort, she puUed her- self together, and he came to her, smiling and self- assured, holding out a hand to her, she knew him for none other than the man against whom she had been warned by her unknown friend. He was Rolande Le&pard. for on ler- el£- for >een She stood gripping the back of a chair and fighting for calmness /V/jj-f» 2t}. ; CHAPTER II THE COUNT DE UONTALT The dinner Om followed Dessie's introduction to the Count de Monult was not a very pleasanrfunaZ ^! Wlule the servants remained in the room, they cha^' vaM commonplaces, and watched each' Xt*^ fte Count the r "r°"' '*'' °"''« ■"«"« »« •*« tne Count, the Count was all curiosity and scrutinv to know what terms he was to be on with arirl ^Z I^ while Dessje herself was so unsetUed by the shocW^^ Wen- that she could not be other thL ill T^°' ""' position. He was a fluent talker, and as he had b'ne man. Tall and broad and very erect, he had a mUitary^ air in his air nage; wh.le his regular and very powerful f^turls .1 suggested great force of chai.cte:' A m J ie!^TLl •7 28 The Heritage of Peril others to his will, thought the girl. A remorseless and untiring enemy, was her next conclusion; and a cruel, relentless, and utterly unscrupulous villain, as she knew from his history. " You seem to know Europe pretty well," said Dessie, when he had been speaking of some personal experiences in Hungary and afterwards in Russia. " Are many lan- guages as familiar to you as English ? " " No, indeed I have only a sort of conversational smat- tering of others — German, Italian, Russ, and so on. But I ^m half English ; my mother was English, you know. I know Europe because for years I have been a great traveller in a small European sense. I am alone in the world now — at present, that is," and he raised his eyes and smiled at Dora, who blushed. " I take my name and title through my first wife, whom I had the mis- fortune to lose within six months of my marrying her. Not by leath, but unfortunately by the failure of her men- tal powers ; and till her death — a happy release, of course, for her — I was more or less a wanderer on the face of the earth." He managed to put into his voice and man- ner an indescribable suggestion that though he had been married, and his marriage had been a trouble at the time, his heart had never been touched, but had remained virgin for Dora to capture. " And do you remain constant in your admiration of our country's scenery? I am told that all Frenchmen swear there is no scenery in the world like that of the Lower Pyrenees, no land to be loved like that, no people so picturesque as in the Pyrenees, and no quainter picture on earth than one of the homesteads there. Do you think so?" A shade crossed his face at this question, and a glance of passing anger lighted his eyes. It was in a Pyrenean The Count de Montalt voice which seemed "o wa™ J k "*" * '""' '» ''is subject; and DesTnl?.? "^^ .•>"«■• away from the i of her Wief ta hL id™,t ?"''"' "' ^ "^""fin^^ion ' memhered for future ««"' "" "^ »■""•""? '» >- ^e- wiihiSiZl^rtSfaTzr ^r''°"^ '" '--«- .ir, co„ti„ue:.-f. ^^A'htixr:? cr:f ttl «■' ^MiW\rc^,i:irdThr\"""^" for^cdd bits o^l^^uL; " * ™''^°''' """^^ '"™"^ and fancies, Mk^ZZZ Th. '' '*' ''"'''""^« With a prejudice againt f '^ho fe pr^nr 1 1! !"'°^^ fess. I've known people disMke tow„rrr^ic„,r? '""' and sometimes a whole r™,n.„ „ .2 P*"'"''ai- houses, tbatis««,e«„y;xrE^h: h%'::e^te- "" smiled as sKde tWs ,hruT°"^ foundation." She fiture, she han^dt-'he su™^"^? .7 "^ "'^ '"^'°'"- Pyrenees and his nreiuHi J '^ "" "^""""y <>' '^<: ger showed so Zri^lTacT.hl.T "'%'^'' "'^ friend would seTit o/^ u ./^"^^ *"a' Bessie feared her .hen sh:rr„^^r'c^,rar"r "h^r/-'' something from it. "^^"^^'O"- But she had learnt In this way the dinner passed, and as the Conn, a- i not wish to stay and smoke by himself l^.l "^ the drawing-room together ' '^'^ ^""^ ^° There Mrs. Markham played and sang. She had a I* 30 Thfi Heritage of Peril weak sweet soprano of limited range, and warbled little songs with a lot of love in them ; and to-night being very sentimental, she put unusual feeling into the singing and made the Count sit close by her side. Dessie sat back and watched; and more than once she saw expressions cross the dark, handsome, strong face of the man, seeming to reflect brooding thoughts, which might have been raised by her thrusts at the dinner table. Her imagination was morbidly busy as she sat and watched him, sitting close to the woman he was deliber- ately deceiving; and on his face, held as it was a little in the shadow of the soft lamplight, Dessie pictured a smile of cynical triumph, at the ease with which he had found and won this last victim, and of contempt for that side of Dora's character which alone he could have seen. The qualities which counterbalanced the little surface vanities of the widow would be sealed fountains to him. He could not appreciate her real love of truth for truth's sake ; her ready devotion in nursing Dessie through her illness ; her instinctive impulses to use her money to stay any plea of want and misery. These things to such a man would be but so many proofs that a woman was weak and a fool. They might almost give him cause for a chuckle that they made her the readier dupe for him, and promised him an easier life with her in the future. And as the girl thought this her cheek flushed with anger and indignation. Then another fancy took possession of her. As she gazed intently at the man's hard, clear profile, and thought of his past as it was known to her, the room seemed to fade, the jingle of the piano died away, and the scene changed to the low-roofed kitchen-parlour of a Pyrenean homestead. The hard, grim face was still the central figure, a look of keen murderous determination The Coant de Montalt 3» lighting the eyes, which were fixed on the face of a second figure in the square room-that of an old and feeble man asleep on a high-backed wooden settle, by the S|de of the broad hearth, where a log was alternately smouldering and bursting into thin, licking tongues of The old man's slumber was accompanied by heavy guttunU breathing and wheeling gasps, with L oc«^ Z rr *" ** '""' «" '""> ^ ""comfortable posi- was gettmg deeper, the dark, heavy face of the watcher across the hearth seemed to grow more s« Z p^^ as though some half-formed but wholly deadly purpose was npening into instant resolve '^ ^ Pr«ently the watcher rose stealthily from his chair. »| movmg slowly and silently across the floor, stoo<^ by the sleeper, and bending down, looked intently into the wh.te ruKed, deeply-lined, old face. Then he touted a hand lifted it, and let it fall. It was ner^^fe« tnd hmp; but the jerk made the sleeper stir uneasily ^d draw a breath deeper and longer than usual. The man by his side stood as still as death itself. Then after a pause, he put his own hand, with infinite ore and deftness of touch, into the other' pocIrTd took out a key. He looked at it in the leaH i tfe feme, and tumed and stole with sUent steps' f°LS t evitortv fcX^f '*""■ '"''"""« ' ^^' «'"-='' he had S« Sfe C' '"^ """' ""■'«' •"»'* "' ""ich he had .^fofSr^-^::--::--^ 3* The Heritage of Peril features looked evil and venomous as he glanced from the paper to the sleeper. Then he went again from the room and after a time returned, this time carrying a bundle of small papers and a bag. The bag he unfastened. It contained gold coins. Among the papers was a large bundle of soiled bank notes. These and the bag he put on the table, and then after a hurried search among the other papers he went away, for the third time, and returned with the key in his hand. His face now wore a devil's smile. He made no attempt to put the key back, but crept with quite silent tread to the settle. Next he poured the contents of a small bottle into a teacup, putting the bottle back in his pocket. From a shelf by the side of the hearth he took a large medicine bottle, from which he poured some of the dark contents into the cup, and clinking the bottle and cup together, as if clumsily, he put '.is hand on the old man's shoulder and shook him. " Uncle, uncle, here's your medicine," he cried, holding the big bottle so that the flickering flame fell on it. The old man moved sleepily, mumbled some incoherent words, stretched out his arms stiffly, and opening his eyes lazily swore at the other for having woke him. He was as evil-looking as his companion — a wizened, cunning, animal face, all cruelty, greed and hardness. He looked hideous as, half asleep, he held out his hand for the medi- cine. He took it, drank it off at a gulp, started, made a wry face, oathed again, swore that it was nastier than ever, and seti ed himself down to renew his broken nap. In another minute he was asleep again. The dark, glittering eyes had never left his face for a moment, and the younger man, seemingly so passive, had been all vigilance, ready to pounce on his victim and .IS " He'll be dead in an hour — by nine, say. Pnge .??. The Count dc Montalt 33 finish the work by violence if he showed the least sign of resistance. * As the old man let his head fall again in sleep his ccuipanion smiled and heaveu a heavy sigh of relief. He f^rst examined the cup to see that it was empty, smelt i , smihng more broadly than ever as he did so, and then havmg washed it out with water, smashed it and put the pieces mto his pocket. He next took another cup of just the same pattern, poured into it a dose of the medicine, threw half of it into the fire, and drank the remainder, putting down the empty cup close by the old man's hand. Then he put the key back in the sleeper's pocket, but without care, knowing there was no fear of any awaken- ing. That done, he bent over the old man, listened to his breathing, which was now much more stertorous than before, and then he craned up his head to see the time by the httle clock that stood on the mantelshelf, shaded from the firelight. "He'll be dead in an hour-by nine. say. I must get ba. k about then. And with that he swept the money mto his pocket, and went away, leaving the sleeper alone to breathe out his remaining life in the stertorous gasps which were growing more and more irregular evefy moment, while the leaping shadows that danced on wall ^and ceiling were shooting up in long, grotesque, fantastic, fghouhsh shapes, and stretching out their hands, as if al- ready claiming the doomed man for shadowland. Stillness brooded in the room, broken only by the choking, heavy breathing of the fast dying man. About an hour later, the sounds of footsteps and voices and laughter were heard outside the homestead. Amongst them were the deep tones of the man who had le the p^ce recently. He was laughing and joking and Tallymg his two companions. The three entered with r ii ;ii IS, U4 34 The Heriuge of Peril the laughter on their lips evoked by the jett of tlie dark man. He came into the chamber of death with a swagger and an oath. Then, as if catching sight of the figure on the settle, he stopped his laughter and cried, " Hullo, here's my uncle asleep. I couldn't think where the deuce he'd got to. Uncle, h^rc are Ambroise and Giraud. I've walked from Asson, and am about as hun- gry as the ^Why," he stopped and made a big demon- stration of excitement, " what's the matter? Here, Am- broise, Giraud, my dear old uncle's ill. Look, look. My r^°"'" ^'"P"^^^- B"t when It comes to giving this "-she took her friend's hand and 36 "You arc Rolandc Lcipard n 37 anyone's instincts. pressed it and smiled—" ] I'm like my Tom ; I want .»v«. Mni Markham withdrew her hand and frowned. she sa.d^ I can t for the hfe of me understand how k^LT- rV' 'j"ri"^ *^^^^ °^ ^-^^ -''^n once you'v" Imo"'."^^'^"' eyes. Did you look sear/hingly fac'es^rear^' ""'"^ **"''' '^''^'''" ^"""» *>" '^^^ " If you can't go by a man's eyes, what can you go by? Do you want to know his acts ? Well, don't I knowlhei^> H^nt he shown himself the kindest, dearest, gent^t' and most thoughtful being in the world? Wh; on S agafnTt^r? '' ^ ^" "'^" ^" ''' world-want'to set me "My dear Dora. I haven't tried to set you against h.m. cned Dessie. " If he is the man you believe hTm then there ,s nothmg m the world would please me more than that you should be his wife." fn^t'.i^^^^u"'^'^ ''i^"^ ^°' " "^°'"^"*' but a move- mcnt of her shoulders showed her vexation. What does that mean? Oh. I suppose you thiVk it's he money that attracts him. I hateX mLy. I wish I hadn t any. It only makes one suspect everybody about one. Either they are rushing after it for themselves or they want to keep others from sharing it. I wish I was poor, and a tear of anger glistened for a moment in her light blue eyes. "aJ??T"^'7'PL"'*'''^°"'' °°''"'' '^'^ °"«'« quietly. and if I didn't know that in your heart you do not foi^ a moment believe me capable of being in your second category, I d walk out of your house and never enter it 38 The Heriuge of Peril t^l; J r ' ^°". *"" J"" •«"«<" ■"« i"«>«e<» your rest happi- ne» Dora. 11 do anything I can to secure it for y^ fncM ill rt r'l' ^°"''' ='*"« "■'• You want'me m cold blood to take the same view as you do of the man y^love passionately. Do you think L I do a^t^ "Oh, Mr. Cheriton's different," said the widow as if «P»d,a,.„g the idea of a comparison betweeT fte"wo a2?n''* "V ^ """"o""" i" *e same breath, eh? » asked Dessie laughmg. " Well, how can I be more en- «ius,ast,c and less critical of your lover than yo7are"f tie WumphtSr *""' ' "'°"""' "" '"^ ^"'' ' '"■ "But I've never said a word against Mr. aeriton. "You arc Rolandc Lcspard " 39 and I like him immensely. Why then do you do so agamst the Count ? " " There has never been any question who and what Tom IS. I don't know a word about the Count." " But one doesn't always wait to know all the ins and outs of a person's life in order to like them. Why, if it comes to that, I know nothing about you— and there's no doubt about my loving you, is there? " " You and I are not going to be man and wife; and if we disagreed we could part ; but if you were going to put yourself and your happiness, everything, into my charge, you'd want to know everything." " Not a bit of it, Dessie. I'd trust you to-morrow with every penny piece I have in the world, and give you un- limited power to do with me just what you please. When I trust, I trust wholly." Dessie was silenced at this. She kissed her companion without adding a word ; and for the moment the subject was dropped. But after they had gone upstairs to bed, Dessie went into her companion's room for a last few words. " Dora, if I seem in any way unbendable in this thing, remember it is only my love for you that makes me urge you to open your eyes to other things beside mere looks and love. Sit here a bit; I'll tell you a passage of my own life, to show you why I don't trust every man as I do my Tom." Mrs. Markham pushed a low stool to her companion's side, and sat with her head resting on Dessie's lap, the girl's fingers playing with her hair as she spoke. Three or four years ago, I was governess in a very disagreeable family, and the conditions of life were such that the place was almost unendurable. Then I met a man— we'll call him L— , who made much of me, and in 40 The Heriuge of Peril didnt th,nk .hen I should ever love anyone: And when S'til rt'v ^ u"** *"■• """ "e pressed rae . but if T • ^^J""" *" '"■"•-*« I didn't love him, but, .f he would be contented with that, I would marr,; mm. He vowed he was more than delighted and we were engaged. I am bound to say he did ^er^tlgTn h.s power to prove how great his love was." ^ Was he young or old ? " a ZT^' ''""!■' ^"^,e:ood-looki„g, and as looks go, such a man as a girl might .be proud to be engaged to He was pretty well off. too, and gave me rich pSs Wdl ^ere are certain things in my past life-nothing thris any disgrace to me, thank God-but still things which the man I was to many ought to know. I told him, therefore and while he thanked me for tellino' him ul -71 made no difference to him." ^ ' ^' "^'^ ^^^ " He was a good man, Dessie." hi y^T'' 1 ^ *^''"^^*' ^"^ ^ ^^ "'^'^^ n<«'-ly in love with hrni th«, than at any other time. I could have loved him but just at that time a most unexpected thing Z^^Z' In two months no less than four ~^«i C "*PP*"*°- tween him and a baronetTdir.S??L*t '"^ **■ «i.h a fairly go«l income, looked up totTisfe"^ liZ, set, he became a baronet with a big i„^e ^^ ^"f'" r^LrHis" " ""^'*' '-^n couT^.du';!^'^;^ reelmg. H,s engagemem to me galled and fretted him • Wm T.'.™ 1."^"^ « *' ^•■'^"- I offer^Tolef^e w:^s4tet\tre!lmti-ntetrTthl .^ro^cat^b^::s-rLie,r'^ -^^^ a"..HatIbegantodespTs;r'nr:r/-- " You are Rolando Lespard " 41 that I would not marry him, and it was when he answered the letter in person — I shall never forget the interview — that I learnt at first hand how utterly base and con- temptible a thing a man may be." She paused a moment, and Dora murmured a word of sympathy. " I want no sympathy, Dora," she said, quickly. " It was a lucky escape. This mean hound threw in my face what I had told him, and declared that, as he was now a public man, it must separate us. But he still loved me, he said, and declared that his fortune was at my disposal if — ^you can guess what he said. My blood is hot now as I think of it. You can guess, too, the answer I made. But that is not the worst, nor anything like the worst. The coward went to the woman in whose house I was governess, and telling her what I had told him in all honourable confidence got me dismissed at a moment's notice, thrown on to the streets to shift for myself, in order that, as he thought, I might be compelled through want to submit to his vile proposals." Her companion drew in a quick breath of pain. " That is man, dear ! " said Dessie, bitterly. " And that is why I urge you to trust no man till you have tested him." Mrs. Markham got up from her stool, and put her arms round the girl. She was full of pity for her friend, but she saw no connection between that man's scoundrelism and her own lover. The thought was absurd. " Poor Dessie ! What an experience and what an es- cape," she said. " But my Godefroi would never act like that." Dessie smiled in disappointment, and the smile had not died out of her face and eyes when her companion kissed her i^in, and they bade each other good night. 4« The Heritage of Peril !!■ before she fell «l4 shTr^IvS " "" '".'""'= ""' M«,UU. .„d ,« M. see .hat's-^r: J^: .^"^h^! was to tell Tom something of „h"t It^i? ""• "'f *' hrf^,:^.'-' «« ^--<*-;: ttt::;.st *s Dessie wen, do«^ t^ h™ ^* ^ount called early and M,rkh«n said ^ti aTmt .w V~' ''". *' '«>"• ^tB- to a better «nde«Undfae f T *'""'' ''"'' *^ "™ other alone." l^tS l^h^ "" """f"'"^ "' "* she «,ticipated ^ """* '"'* '" *'» "-an app«ent friendship; butftt^TdLlr.'"" T^ <" two were alone, and after 7h^Lr^,7ri ^'"^ "'"" *« . ««.r,e of coti^let. ZtJ '" "'" ""*""'"«' ™ way: ■"••"■owtoherh^^l'ou^rt'^^r.h^^;^: btC 0? the s:>rdrei.f t™ Ta^r/'r fd t ""- Plete, or the little widow's weafe^/ !j^"'.'' ,"* ^°™- njj^ht^aUow of his continuing .:t^J^.:t^ Dessie's heart beat a little fa«5f#.r ^u» went down the h^ad suir^lt t':^;:: :t i^glm! ^Z «< You arc Rolande Lespard" 43 which the visitor had been shown ; but outwardly she was calm enough and apparently self-possessed. To test her ^eadmess she paused outside the room, and held up her hand to see if it trembled at aU. It did a little tLT?\^ * '^"** ^'''"«^ *° ^ '^^^^'" she thought. ng out on the square garden, congratulating himself upon he own"' "J^ificence of the house a„d%he wealthTf wh«,ri ^'l^ '' evidenced; but he turned quickly pleasure, which he had put on to gr^^ Dora, chanire to one of surprise and inquiry. « ^ra, cnange to He came hurrying towards her with the same over- al™*!' ^1° -f *' ""' ■"""• Now that they were ^L^ ""««'«««'<» on earth could make her touch He came toward her with it extended, his fac. exoress SikhTs-aLTc^ -'''"----' — "m»- " I trust dear Mrs. Markham is well— as well as T hnn. Tet'S'an^" ,*""*""• /"^ '"' -•" ^^« "'*^ quiet change of voice and manner, he added, "You did r/r.T. ''•""'' ' *'"■'• Mi« Memon,-exca;e me" .^toht";:" " ""' '" '™"' °* ""• »« '«"«' -a^ht tion of the hand toward a chair, she repUed— ^^T"' 1"'''^" •»» "othinK raore serious the matter with her than a slight headache. You need ha« no anx,rty on her account whatever. She rather wishri me ■ndeed, to come and see you alone, thinlcing that p^h^s' we should get to understand one another better if ^were 44 The Hcriugc of Peril alone. I think so too," she added, after a pause for em- phasis, eyeing him steadily. " My dear Miss Merrion, I am more than charmed," he answered, effusively. " My dear Dora's friends must be my friends—or they could not be hers, of course." He made his meaning clear with a glance. " Naturally," assented the girt. " I quite understand that." " But I do not think I quite understand the position," he answered. " Pardon me if I ask you to explain it to me a little more clearly. I have heard so much of you— and all in your praise. I came to London expecting and hoping to find you, if only half as good as you had been described, yet still the best possible of friends for my Dora, and, if I may say so, for myself. I came here last night; I had the infinite honour of an introduction to you. We had a pleasant dinner, a quiet evening, an hour of friendly companionship. We parted in the best vein of friendship, apparently. I arranged to call eariy this morning. I call. I do not see my Dora, my future wife; but instead, you receive me; and when I offer you my hand, hoping the relations of last evening are to continue, you will not take it ; and instead, you say you have come down to have an understanding. Is it a surprise that I ask myself what does this mean? What is it? Who is this charming young lady that meets me? What is it she wishes ? " He paused, threw his hands and shoulders up, and as- sumed a look of greatly injured innocence. Dessie had been thinking quickly while he spoke, and now paused a moment before replying. When she an- swered it was with a clear, crisp emphasis that made every word tell. " The meaning is this. I want to know why you have "You are Rolande Lcspard" 45 imposed on my friend as the Count de Montalt, when in fact you are Rolande Uspard, the murderer of your uncle, old Paul Duvivier?" The man sprang to his feet in astonishment and ob- vious terror. His face went white, and for a full minute he was speechless, staring at the giri like a man out of his senses. Then he sat down again, and strove to regain his self-possession. It was a long fight, and when at length he managed to gasp out— V '.'mV' * ^'^ •^°" ^*^"' ^ tremendous, villainous, awful he! his voice had lost all the ring of strength and depth that had seemed to suggest so much force and power And during the whole time, Dessie remained looking cahnly and steadily at him, watching him without saying a word. ^ * i CHAPTER IV A BUBI The success of Dessie's stroke lay in its suddenness. At a moment when the man was congratulating himself on his extraordinary good fortune in having won the love of a rich woman who trusted him so absolutely that she did not think it worth while to make the slightest in- quiry about him, the girl had stepped in to break down everything. His rage and chagrin added to his confusion, and it was a long time before he could recover himself sufficiently to think connectedly over the position. He had often had this friend of Dora's in his thoughts ; and gauging her by his own standards, he had calculated that she would probably turn out to be no more than a harpy, who might resent the rich woman passing out of her hands and into his own. He had guessed that he would in all probability be able to buy over this opposition at a price ; and had always looked forward to having to do something of the kind. But this belief was only a faint one now, as he looked into the resolute little face of his accuser, whose eyes were fixed on him with an expression of such sturdy resolution that he felt he could have strangled her. How could she have got her knowledge of him ? There was not a detective in London who would have recognised him in that character ; scarcely one in all Eng- land ; and yet this weak chit of a girl had known him at 46 f A Bribe 47 . a glanct. More than that, she had been shrewd enough to use her knowledge dexterously enough to outwit him and cause him to behave like a nervous fool. He had thus made contradiction more than difficult ; yet it was his only course. •' " You must excuse my illness." he said, when at length he regained self-possession, speaking as in a voice of pain and weakness. " I am subject to these attacks-they are at my heart-when agitated or excited. In the moment. I was so angered by your words ; perhaps not unjustifiably angered, you will allow; and for the moment my heart threatened me. Now I am myself again : My illness has passed. I pray you to excuse me if I have caused you any uneasiness." ^ "You did not." returned Dessie, cuttingly. " I thor- oughly understood the nature of the attack." " A mistake such as you have made. Miss Merrion, would excite anyone. If it had been made, and the slander uttered by a man. it might have cost him his hfe. "By poison do you mean? I should not be surprised —if you had the opportunity." " I do not understand your reference. If you—" " I will explain." interrupted Dessie. " It was poison you used to murder M. Duvivier. That is what I mean " But he was not a man to be taken twice off his guard. " I have had the pleasure of meeting you only once before to-day; and I am at a complete loss to understand therefore, what motive you can possibly have in making this extraordinary mistake in regard to me. Perhaps you will tell me." " It is no mistake. My motive is defence of my friend from a man I consider so dangerous as yourself." " Well, I can only assure you that you are labouring 48 The Heritage of Peril i: under an extraordinary delusion; and I know no more than this chair how you come to associate me with the wretch whose name you mentioned just now— Lespard." " You mean you want to know how I recognise you," said Dessie, with direct logic. " That is my business. It is enough that I do recognise you and intend to use my knowledge." " You speak rather in riddles, Miss Merrion. I pre- sume you mean by using your knowledge that you intend to try and separate Mrs. Markham and me for some pur- poses of your own. You will not find it an easy task to persuade her to believe what is an untrue charge against me, which I shall not have the slightest difficulty in meet- ing at any time and in any way she may wish. The posi- tion of anyone who has falsely accused me will not be a very agreeable one then in h« opinion." " You mean I shall forfeit her friendship if I cannot make my words good. Yes; that is exceedingly prob- able." " I am not a vindictive man. Miss Merrion. I do not wish that Dora should lose a friend who is so staunch as you evidently are, since your staunchness for her leads you to take a step of this shad I say, hazardous kind? I assure you on my honour as a gentleman that you are profoundly and absolutely mistaken. I pledge you my word, further, to give you any proof of your mistake that you, or anyone acting with you, like to ask for. More than that, I will bear no grudge whatever for the mistake —I will set it down to that chivalrous goodness of heart which is constantly impelling people to make the strangest errors. But I do not wish that Dora should be distressed and pained and shocked by hearing that I, her affianced husband, have been thus accused ; and that you, her dear- est friend, have made so vile a charge." A Bribe 49 "AVhat is your object in that?" said Dcssic, rather thinking aloud than putting a question. But he took it up readily and answered promptly. " I have no object except to satisfy you of your error ; and to save you from the humiliation of having your strange delusion exposed." He paused a moment and then added: " I am not mistaken, I think, in saying you are engaged to be married to a barrister, Mr. Cheriton, is it not? Well, I suggest to you to tell him. I will ac- company you, if you like; and then he can name the best and readiest means of proving to you my identity. Were I in France, I could offer you five hundred proofs in an hour; but her-—" He stopped and shrugged his shoul- ders. Dessie looked at him steadily, as if to try and read his motive; but he met her gaze without flinching, and jvith a calm assurance that baffled her. " I need no proof of your identity. I know you," she said, firmly. " May I ask on what ground you base this most strange belief ? What has caused it ? " " No. You may not. At least I cannot answer. It is enough that I know it." He knitted his thick brows a moment in thought and then got up from his chair and said in a sterner and more forceful tone than he had yet used : " Well, Miss Merrion, I have done my best to save you from the unpleasant consequences of your own extraor- dinary blunder. I have resolutely kept in check my natural resentment. But I can do no more. I have offered to convince you privately of your unwarrantable blunder; and you mtist accept the consequences of your refusal. You must take \/hat course you please. For my part, I shall see Mrs. Markhani at once, and tell her 50 The Heritage of Peril what you have said. Will you be good enough to have a message sent to her that I desire to see her at once on urgent business, or shall I ring for a servant ? " He walked towards the bell as he spoke, and laid his hand on it. His assurance made Dessie waver. Was it possible that she was mistaken ? Fifty stories of curious and wonder- ful resemblances flashed across her thoughts. Ought she not to make quite sure before speaking? He was watching her closely, and noted her indeci. sion. " Come, come, Miss Merrion, we have carried this farce far enough. Will you ^end the message to Mrs. Mark- ham, or shall I ? " She frowned in her dilemma. A moment later he said firmly: " I will wait no longer," and with that he rang the bell sharply. " You will give me these proofs? " she asked, quickly. " You have refused them. I prefer my way now," he answered, abruptly. " These things are better faced at once." " I will accept your offer of the proofs, if you like," said Dessie, abnost as the door opened, painfully conscious of the weakness implied in the concessicm. " As you will then," answered the man with a bow and a flash of triumph ; " but it is only at your request I con- sent now, and for your sake." Then the servant opened the door. " There is nothing wanted, the bell was rung in mis- take," said Dessie. The servant bowed and withdrew, and then the Count turned calmly to Dessie and said : " And what now do you propose to do? " Dessie's momentary indecision was destined to cost her A Bribe 5> dear. At first she u)u. not make up her mind what course to pursue ; but her Jovcr came into her thoughts. " You mentioned Mr. Cheriton's name," she said, and then stopped abruptly. She was about to propose going to him, when it occurred to her that if they went she must tell Tom in this man's presence all that she knew about him, and how she had come to recognise him. But that would open up such a wide, new field of investigation into her own past, that it startled her. She had yet to tell Tom her past life, and preferred to do that in her own way and at her own time. Moreover, she was quite un- willing to let the man, who was now eyeing her so in- tently and with such a threatening expression, learn that she was the girl for whom he was seeking, and to whom the jewels had been passed on. Her companion could not help seeing her hesitation, and was shrewd enough to presume upon it. A moment after she had mentioned Tom Cheriton's name and he saw her hesitation, he jumped to his feet with a gesture of energy and said : — " Nothmg will suit me so well. Permit that I send at once for a cab, and we will go together to his chambers and lay the facts before him. It is better for your sake that this mistake of yours should not go beyond the nar- rowest circle. Will you get ready at once? " Dessie bit her lip in mortification. He was playing a part. She knew that well enough, and believed that he guessed she knew it. But the chance of the moment was against her, and she was unable to accegt the very test which a few minutes before she herself had proposed. " I shall take ly own time and means to prove the truth of what I have said," she answered; and a feeble reply it was, cfespite the firm, sharp tone in which she spoke. 5« The Heriugc of PcrU if At this the Count Jhrew himself down in his chair again, and tossed up his hands with a gesture of surprise and protest as if at a loss to understand her conduct " Really, Miss Merrion, I put it to you whether you are not asking too much of me. You make this most hideous accusation against me; I deny it and propose a means of testing it privately ; you first reject then accept the test, and then reject it again ; and now you ask me to allow myself to He quietly under a foul suspicion of this kind for an indefinite period while you take your own time to satisfy yourself that you have made an egregious blunder. I will do much, very much, for a friend of my Dora's— but do not you yourself think that this is asking too much ? I am bound, in defence of my own honour, to request that you allow me to satisfy you at once of your mistake. I will propose another test. If you have private reasons for not exposing to your— to Mr. Cheriton— the reasons of your supposed acquaintance with this murderer, this Lesparde — these reasons which enable you to think you recognise him in me— then let us take another course." There was a suggestion of threat in this, and Dessie winced at it, as the man paused to give it expression be- fore continuing. " Let us go together quietly, you and I alone, to Scotland Yard. There will be men there who will probably know quite well what has become of this man you seem to know, this Lesparde ; and they will be able to at once point you out the mistake." His eyes were rivetted on hers as he put this daring proposal— made with a double object : To seem absolutely sincere in his innocence, and to ascertain whether the reasons which kept Dessie from telling her lover would also keep her from telling the police— and when he saw her wince, he got up again with the same assumed readi- ness to start at once. j A Bribe bS But a moment's rapid consideration sufficed to let the girl's quick wits see that though there were reasons why she would be unwise to go to the police with her story, it was absolutely impossible for him to go. It was a piece of bluff in which she felt she would be quite safe in out-bidding him. She sat silent a moment as if con- sidering the suggestion, and then rising, said deliber- ately : — " That seems to be a proof that would be conclusive ; and, as you say, it can be obtained quite privately by us two alone. I will accept the offer. I will go and put on my hat, and will accompany you without loss of time. I quite see that it is unfair for me to leave this matter unprobed a minute longer than necessary." " Certainly," he assented, without changing a muscle of his face ; and he held the door open for her as she left the room to get ready. She was astonished an J shaken by this; but she was not absent many minutes, and when she returned she found him ready with an excuse to flinch from the visit to the police. " Something has recurred to me; and I fear it will be inexpedient for me to make this visit. A minute's re- flection has caused me to take a much graver view of the matter. So much hangs upon the result to me that I cannot consent to keep it private merely to yourself and myself. Besides, when you come to think of it, it would be ridiculous to walk into Scotland Yard and say ' This young lady thinks I am a French murderer; pleaie con- vmce her I am nothing of the kind.' They would laugh at us both and send us packing about our business to go and verify my identification in a proper way." " \ ^J^ you didn't mean to go. even when you pro- posed it, said Dessie, curtly. " But your reason is not what you say, and yo" ! jic y that perfectly well." 54 The Heritage of Peril things a man dare not s.y." said her anLonist aner^ because of the defeat. " I trust you will T^g^^^s wuh your apolog.es when you know the truth as yZZ, been with your sneers now." ;;i know the truth already," retorted Dessie, sharply. Well, will you be good enough now to say whatTou t'uX%o .h" .' *"'^ "™^ engagements, but I ^'r" turning o this house again this afternoon. I am dining here agam with Mrs. Markham. I shall then tell her whaf you have said, unless, indeed-and this will be the best course-you tell me how this strange idea originated. I can then, perhaps, dust away the whole cobweb " The knowledge is based on my own recognition of you. 1 myself know you to be the man I say " idiiilfty r ' '*"' "^^"^^ ^'''"* °^ ^°"'' ^"^^ • ^ ™*^* »« T iy?V^ * ***^''"'* y°""8^ ^^"^ to indiLreT ^^ ^"^ "'^ '''^'^ '"'" "'^"^"^ ^^^^•^' "What, with the Count de Montalt? Where on earth were you going with him ? " " I did not say I was going with him, dear." answered '^?o?knrr '' '"' '^^"^ ^'^ "^«-^^ -asion You know I m accustomed to wait on myself and run on my own messages. It's nothing for me to ^p " hat on and run to the post, and so on " " I don't understand. Dessie. What could you want to run out to the post for in the middle of a co"t In with Godef roi ? What do you mean ? " ^"^"^^t'^n What a puzzled a face you have, dear. You're wrink- hng 1 into a hundred and fifty frowns just because H^k my hat downstairs nstead of leavino- it „« • I wish I could maKe i. a Ht.lfJ; t ^'fo."^ ZT' have a heap of work waiting for me " ""''"^''"'^- ' '■ But you can't go home to^ay, nor to-morrow. I tdj 6o The Heriuge of Peril you what I've been thinking. I want you to come and stop here for a few weeks. I'll have a little study fitted up for you-just where you like. No one shall interfere with you You shall have your own hours for work, ami a latchkey if you like-be a regular new woman, and when you can spare time give yourself to me. Do! Tom Cheriton can come and see you just as he does at your rooms. I should like him and Godefroi to be friends. Do come, Dessie. Stop till we're married. Do. Let us send up for all your belongings. But there. I shan't let you say no." " I'll come for a time-a few days." said Dessie. It occurred to her that in this way she could the better carrv out her plans. " But I won't say for how long. But I must go at once and make all the arrangements " " You mean see Tom," laughed Mrs. Markham. " But >ou haven t told me a word yet of all that you and Gode- froi talked about this morning. And I'm so jealous of you re having had him all to yourself for such a lone time. *» " I can't stop now. But you shall know every word as soon 35 I get a fit opportunity of telling you." And in this way Dessie escaped saying anything for the moment, and until she had had an opportunity of a talk over everything with her lover. * She left the house and hurried to her own rooms, where a great disappointment met her. A letter from Tom Cheriton, written hastily on the previous evening, told her that he had had to leave town. " D. D. (this stood for " Dearest Dessie " in their lan- gt;'.ge).— Our hearts are to be subjected to the awful strain of absence. A wire has just come saying that my uncle is ill, and wants me at once down at the Smokehole —you know where I mean, and how I love the place But A Daring Attempt 6i I must go— sacrificing even mv brief* t ^«-'* 1 11 wme you to-morrow from The Lea.. If you write ^etlr A. A "' '*" °' ""' »'""«»"• Ever as T. A. A." stood for " Tom All Airt«« »• rk- i de Montalt or r1^ T ! '""''''' *'* ">* Count made her unwllmg to struggle with him single-handed fta'she^nt 'Th'h"' '" ',1' ^°" '' °"« »<• f™X a'i together, workmg m complete confidence, might expose the man and Mve Dora. Tom would have knoCwE do. he thought. But she could not write the Trafthlt wouM have to he whisper^i when her lip, 1::^'^^'^ There was nothing for it but to wait, therefore-and delay must mean th«. she must either go on leS^The Vi 62 The Heritage of Peril man believe her as vile as himself— willing to sell her best friend for a price— or run some personal risk by unde- ceiving him. Without more than a minute's hesitation she chose the latter course. She would tell him at once that he was mis- taken in her, and warn him to keep away from Dora. She resolved also to urge Tom Cheriton to come back as soon as possible ; and made up her mind to go and stay at South Kensington until the crisis was over. She accordingly made all the necessary arrangements and packed such clothes, books, and papers as she would need for a stay of some weeks if necessary. The rest of her papers she locked in a little safe she had. That done she wrote to her lover, telling him what she meant to do, and urging him to return to town as soon as possible, because there was a very important matter about Mrs. Markham's Count in which she wished to consult him. " I have made a discovery about him that frightens me; and I am at a loss to know quite what to do. I want your help and advice ; and I don't want to get into trouble by making blunders, as, of course, you'll think I'm likely to do. If you want to save me from an ugly intrigue, hurry back." Then she returned to South Kensington, hardening her resolve all the way, to tell the Count de Montalt what her intentions were. He must keep away from South Ken- sington until Tom's return, or she would tell Dora openly whom she believed him to be. Chance helped her to an excellent opportunity of doing this. As she turned in at one end of Edgecumbe Square she saw the Count approaching from the other. She quickened her pace therefore, and passing the house met him. " I should like one word with you," she said, curtly. A Daring Attempt 63 A thousand If you will." he answered, raising his hat and bowing. Shall we turn and walk, or would you like another appointment? I shall always be charmed to be a fnend of yours now, Miss Merrion." *!. ' ' !I*''^1!'* ^""^^^ y°"^ friendship, thank you." said the giri, coldly, " and will not accept it. What I wish to say now is that I repudiate entirely the vile offer you made this morning to bribe me. I only let you speak without interruption so that I might know how far you wou^d go. I have only this to say now: If you dare to come again to Mrs. Markham's house I will denounce you at once. »,5."m ^T.^7 ""V '*°""y' ^^ * ^'^^^y ^"-o^vn forced his black thick eyebrows together. But his voice was courteous and even as he answered : "Do you mean that, unequivocally and absolutely' Is ,«Ti e^^*^^""^*'^**^" will induce you to wait at least F^ce ? ^""'^ ""^ opportunity of getting proofs from "/wk"" r ^""'^ '^^'" '^'^ ^^"»^' contemptuously, then by aU means come. But not till then " • You will live to repent this bitterly. Miss Merrion. You have put upon me a wholly undeserved disgrace and if I accept your terms it is only because I wish to t^K*" T ""T^ '^^'^ '' '° ^ "^y ^>^^' ^d whom I love with all my heart, from the pain and sorrow which such a malignant accusation from a friend like yourself would cause her. I wish you had been a considerate. When we meet next, I shall have the proofs you want " Then, to Dessie's intense surprise, he raised his hat tum«l and walked away. She had nc t for an instant be- ir^ect R r t^V'^''''' -"' she noticed that while insisting upon handinr Her c^;. -. ua he stood holding it for a moment with h s .,ack to lur, v.. ^ he finished telling a story he had oc^u;., a-J Ue let r' spoon fall, and had to stoop, with hi. ac'< mh lov.u- . Dessie. in order to pick it up anr] replace i en ! . career. It was only a little thing, but I;e.-s-e sa. tirt he had dropped the spoon intention- ally, a«d bti i.ved I '.ad done it to get an opportunity to tamper wit?> :. ;ea. She knew Uic man was an expert in poisons; and in- stantly she resolved not to drink a drop of it. She stirred It slowly, pretended to taste it, and made a wry face. "My dear Dora, what have you done with my tea? You are so excited, you have given me yours. It is all sugar. It will just suit you. Give me yours." " Very well, dear Give it me." "Allow me," said the Count, quickly going to Dessie, and holding out his hand for the cup. " Thank you, don't trouble. I am going to change my chair," answered Dessie, coolly, trying to keep the cup from him. "Pardon me, I cannot allow that; it is a trouble," he replied, and pushing forward, he deliberately took the cup and saucer from her, and then, as if in confusion, let them drop with a crash to the ground, uttering lond apologies and expressions of regret for his clumsiness. A glance showed Dessie that though the cup was ' I 1 1 66 The Heritage of Peril broken and most of the tea spilt, there was yet enough left in the fragment of the cup, and in the saucer, for the purpose of analysis, to confirm or dissolve her suspicions. Oh, Dora, it is my favourite cup," she cried, and stooping took the larger half of the broken cup. poured into It what tea remained in the saucer, and. without wait- ing to say more, hurried with it out of the room. As she was passing the Count, he made a quick novement. as If to strike the cup from her hand, under the pretence of assistmg her. but she avoided him. and as she glanced into ? u **; ''^''' '"'^*' ""^ ^"^ '^"^^ that she had dis- covered his daring attempt to poison her. and was es- caping with the proofs of his guilt. She knew now well enough why he had ventured to re- llli T T'\ ^^ ^^>' ^'^ ^^^ "^"^^^ to yield so Fcadily when they had met in the Square. att^l^.^'^ ^'" V. ^'''^ '^"^ ^"^^ ""^^ h* "««ded for the attempt on her hfc. ■ a CHAPTER VI A IECKLES3 ENEUY stance tha an il Dessie was alone in her own room she Ad not realise fully that she had actually had a Zfnar! row escape odosing her Hfe. "uamostnar- The simple manner in which the attempt had been made ts consummate daring, and the audacit/of oidTouring to poison her m a cup of ,ea given so openly before her fr.«,ds filled her with such intense astSmem thi But astonishment soon gave way to fear. The man who would dare such an attempt would dare anythiW T, ^"^^ ""«'">' '°' Tom Cheriton-s retu™ and began to r^ .hat she had taken her firs, step ta h.s absence. She was no match for this murderer^d as she a, and eyed the broken fnigik cup, with "l few ataMt afraid to be alone, and trembled and gl^ced ot, r^r™"''' " " "■" """^ "■ ""»* -" i^^" It was some minutes before she could shake off her T .'".^ r^'" '"" ^"^ °f «'f-possessio„. Th™ she emptied the contents of the cup into a smaH bott^ «.djh«she carefully hid lest anyon^ should uke i.^' «» 68 The Heritage of Peril raht 1! K^ viz ""^ ^' '^' *^"P' P'^"'' 't on the table that had been arranged for her writing materials. and then returned to the «nall drawing-room in which the mcident had occurred. "Whatever is the matter with you to-day. child?" said Mrs. Markham. as she entered. " You've been doing an sorts of curious things." " I suppose it must be the effect of Tom's absence." answered the giri. with a smile. " Or the result of being introduced to de Montalt," said ^rge Vezey. " People do all sorts of odd things after S'^ Z ^ *"'^°^"<=«1 to him." This with a gLice at Mrs. Markham. " I believe you have the evil eye. Count or some such beastly thing as that." ;• That is a very unpleasant as well as a very stupid thing to say. George." said Mrs. Maricham. annoyed by this : but the Count laughed good humouredly and easily He did not care a rap for the yoimg fellow's temper; in- deed he rather enjoyed it. It was not in any way likely to mterfere with his plans; so he could afford to be tol- erant of the other's temper. The relations between Mrs. Markham and young Vezey were naturally strained just now. Till the Count's coming they had been virtually engaged. Vezey was good-looking, fair. slim, and well-tailored; and he rather affected the effeminate manner of a young fellow about town But m Bessie's opinion there was more affecta- tion than effeminacy about him; and she liked him. and believed him to be much more capable than his surface manner suggested. Mrs. Markham had been in the habit of making use of him for all conceivable purposes; and he had taken a genuine pleasure in dancing attendance upon her every- where, and in helping her in the thousand ami one ways ':!^m ^tm--i:''i4i^'ii.i':^.li^ A Reckless Enemy 69 m which an attentive man can help the woman he loves to get the most enjoyment out of life But the promotion of de Montelt had changed his view of thmgs altogether. Vezey found himself deposed fr^ H. W^v."^ '"^ "^^^ '^' °'^^^ "^'' ^^^ ^^^'"^t him. more ilfllT^'u ^' "°^' ^^^^^^'■' ^>*h nothing who sm, ed more broadly as he saw it. The relation between three out of the four were thus ruffled and the thThoutTo'T.' r'" '^^^''^ ""^" ^^^ ^— lef the house to which they were to return later to dine. After dmner the Count and George Vezey staved so long over their wine and cigars that Mrs. MaTkhlm grew mipatient; and when they came into the drawing-room Vezey went and sat by Dessie at one end of the iZ room, m one of the large bay windows. ^ I hate that chappie, Miss Merrion don't you>" he said soon after he joined her. " I believe he s an awful "ir^^t^t"*^' "''»'- "•'»"*" "Why did you introduce him?" asktd Dessie. V/hy was I an idiot, you mean? The questions are about the same in different forms. The truth isTe IZ me ou, of a scrape I was a fool ever .0 gllta I^: over m Antwerp with a rowdy American I picl pinr s.;ie." ""' '"" " '"^^ °' *' •-«»"!" "I- Jm bo^nd to «y „ ,„vcd you righ,. youve no. to th^ Jl."' "" '*'"■ ' •"*"* ^-"^ •' I "«id have hM .he ^ o7t.r '°"'''"' •"" '^«'' B" »«•'« no. TheT^ ™" 7 ^"> off" »" to, do.,', ,o„ ta.«,, L whe; h^ Z f '" ™' *' "' '"^'< *<>«W have i, ::^W "Jeai-riu Z H?S>d' "'"""• """""'^ same olac*. A«h *i, i. "'*^ *^'^'"^ ^^^r to the " But do you mean realh- that vn.. i,«« the ^„„ .B-, you have .old n^^Tv^^, T ™" »' hK>w?:/aSt; :^ •,„'r^.r "''•■■""'" '» ;• And doe, Dora know how litde you know? " - «« e^c^florhn/^r""*,"" "" '-• "^ .<.* .he fe^ when , h^:!:":^ r"""™""- I could What good would It do? I should »«,K'n i.^. and ke Shu, out „, this house forlt^; " ' """"'• And what do you yourself really think of him?" A Reckless Enemy 7' " That he's a bounder, or worse. 'Pon my soul, I'm sometimt^ afraid of what I do think about him. He does such devihsh odd things. Here's an instance to-night 7iZ .. T ^""^ '^° ^"^ '"^* '^' '^^^'' ^^ «^t smoking cigarettes for a couple of minutes, and then he began to bemg able to smoke strong cigars. He riled me: He al- ways does. His manner's enough to do that, to tell the truth. He seems to rub my hair the wrong way; and 1 let h.m run on. till he bet me a fiver I couldn't smoke one of h,s cgars with him at a sitting without leaving my cha.r to be s,ck. Of course I took him on. A fiver's a fiver, to say nothing of the pleasure of winning it from •; Well?" asked Dessie. showing more interest in the mcident than her companion expected. *^ We lighted up. each taking a weed from his case- and strong ones they were. too. I'll own-and pufTed away But before we'd been a couple of minutes at that game he put h.s hand to his heart, or his throat, or some- where, and said he felt queer, and must get a box of lozenges from his great coat. I told him one of the servants could get it or bring him his coat; but that wouuln t suit h.m it seemed, and he went out of the room saymg he'd be back in a minute. He was twenty mmutes gone, if he was a second. I'd nearly finished the great black cigar he gave me when he came back; so I know how long he was. His. by the way. was scarcely touched. He said he hadn't brought the lozenges he wanted, and had been out to buy them. But his face looked as black and angry as his dress coat, and he mut- tered something or other al)Out not Ix-ing well and he seemed awfully excited. When I asked him why he hadn t been smoking his cigar, he first swore, and "then rTSvWifyi. ■ 7a The Heriuge of Peril i nffe !i { i said I was an idiot; that he had finished his first cigar. and ^at was his second. But I didn't believe him lliough what the deuce he'd been doing I don't know." His hearer had a shrewd guess, but didn't express it Instead of that she laughed and asked- " Did he give you the ' fiver,' Mr. Vezey ? " " Yes, with some sort of rubbish about it being the cheapest and yet dearest five pounds' worth he had ever bought; I don t know what he meant " chtt^A 'li'"'''^^' I^«e turned the subject, and chatted about some other matters. George Vezey's thoughts were, however, all tinged with one colour- r^et for having lost Mrs. Markham-and he was soon back to the same theme; but before he had been long indulging his lament, Dessie made an excuse and lefl .hof K T^^ "''^r*'* ""^ ^"^^^^ *^ ^«"fy the suspicion that had occurred to her. as to the object of the man's absence from the dinner table. She ran up to her room, feeling much excited. A glance at the place confirmed her suspicions. Some- one had been there, turning over her things. When she had dressed for dinner she had left every- thing m order. The luggage from her own rooms had been brought to the house, and she had unpacked before dressing. The books and the papers she had put back into one of the boxes-a strong iron box of German Tn^H W t P^««ar key and fastening-and the clothes and hats she had placed away in the wardrobe and fT''l uu'.u^ '^'° '^^"^ P^'"* *° «^ °"t the little table which had been placed for her writing in one of the windows. On this her writing materials lav ready-a large blotting pad which she always used and a folding desk slope. * f^>.. A Reckless Enemy 73 At the rig^t hand side of the slope close to the window she had left the broken cup. It was gone. Many of the things in the room had been turned over and disarranged. The drawers, in which everything had been laid tidily, had evidently been hurriedly searched, and an attempt made to put the contents back so that a superficial observation might not detect that they had been disturbed. But to Dessie, knowing what she did, the trail of the searcher was easy to follow. She rang tho bell and questioned the maid who had charge of the room. She knew the girl well, and liked her. " Martin, I broke a teacup, and brought it up here, I think, so that it could be kept. Have you seen it? I am almost sure I left it on the writing table when I went down to dinner." *' I saw it when I brought you some hot water, Miss, and when I was helping you to put your things away, and afterwards when you were dressing. But I don't know exactly where you put it. I didn't see it when I came up afterwards to light the gas and make the room ready." " When was that, Martin ? " " I was very late to-night, Miss. I'd only been down about five minutes or so when you rang the bell now." " Then I must have taken it down myself without thinking about it. I suppose none of the other servants would be likely to take it away, thinking it was put out to be thrown away as it was broken ? " " No one comes into the room except myself. Miss." " You're quite certain of that ? " " Quite positive, Miss, quite." said the girl, emphati- cally. mL^fmm§r:m:^mmt.-mmm 74 The Heritage of Peril J^ n*"' °' f^"*' '''• "* "» "»»«q"oice whatever » "•d Dessie. plea«u,tly. " Only I wanted to see wSr wth 1 and then do another. And if. ,«i.. dearl did " I. there anything else. Miss? " asked the maid. .He r '"ihi»-; ^l t-^S:^ ^^ Closed jr^ve. There n,ight be sr^prhnXre^bS: rf^e was content with it «,d accepted it as pn^nhal her aneagonist had left his companion at the dinner ubie btt w.th him. and had then come to her room to seareh he could destroy the traces of his deed. And the7rlwn which George Ve«y had said darkened his face „w" return was caused by his failure. of I^rs^J,'! '"'° """* ^"' ^ P™""! *« 'ew drops of poisoned tea was a small one, and in her hurry she had thrust It right into the middle of the bed ^y,Z the n»t raises. She felt for it now, and a smile oTSlph M^ted her face as she pulled it out and held it up to the gaslight to examine it. '^ But as she turned to lock it away a fresh thought oc- curred to her. If this man meant still to tn, ^d Z possession of the bottle, had she not better hid7itta,t^ M merely locking it up? This suggested to her tS Se A scrutiny of the lock showed her nothing, nor when an! m«^' vl^ ^r" '""' " '" " ««" ""O- without any mediod, while she was not quite cenain what papers he had brought with her. But the contents^r" jumbled together m a manner which left it quite an o^ .yypwiiiA.iT sKBH^m A Reckless Enemy i r 7S question whether or not they had been tampered with in ^esulTThe"","!: " ^'^ '^'"^ '" *»^* drawers and a," b^t n S / essie, " he hung there for two hours," and in a light airy manner he continued the description of an imaginary incident, speaking m a manner that suggested he had been relating it to Dessie before Mrs. Markham joined them. But the girt herself was thinking not of that, but of the challenge which she read in his words, and looked so grave that Mrs. Markham rallied her upon being scared by the Count's story. I. CHAPTER VII " I WANT TO KWOW ALSO WHO VOU ARE ' DJisi?' Z m"'' J°".'r ^ overworking yourself. Dessie, said Mrs. Markham. when the two sat chattinir together alorie before going to bed. " You're not^T bh >ou«eIf and you look worried and almost scared to yot thinl'I*' ''"' '""'*' ""^ '''' ^°" "^"^»» ^^l*- '^ " No there's nothing the matter with mc," replied Des- but I m better. Tom will have it that I've not picked ui, M^a"^ yet; but then he's such a ridiculourfidgeT "He's right now, I'm afraid. I sha'n't let you do much work here mind; I won't have it." and Do^ shooHer head as though laying down the law. while she smiled very kindly. Then another thought occurred to her. and she took one of the girl's hands in hers and pressed it I suppose there 8 no other worry, is there? Now tell me the truth-no money bothers? You know that' one let me be useful sometimes." The light in her eyes was very gentle, and her face very compassionate as she put this question. *^ T 'J/' ""^^'"'^1 T'' ^^y* °"'>' * ^°"P'*= o^ weeks ago I «>ld a senaL I have actually a balance in the bank;lo say nothing of quite a lot of money that is owing to me." Then what is it.' There's nothing wrong between 77 MICROCOfY RESOIUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 1.0 I.I 1.25 Hi US ■a 1^ 1^ 2.2 132 1 4.0 1.4 2.0 1.8 ^ >1PPLIED IfN^^GE Inc S^ '653 East Main Street STiS Rochester. Nev York U609 USA '.JB (716) 482 -0300 -Phone a^ (716) 288 - 5989 - Fox 78 The Heritage of Peril Tom and you, is there? Nothing that has made him go off m this way. I'm so happy, I can't bear to see you hke this." " Dear old Tom. No." exclaimed Dessie, a blush and a smhc breaking out all over her face as she spoke. Why, It was only an hour or two before I got your wire that we were having the cosiest of cosy chats over a cup of tea in my rooms, and half inclined to be jealous of you because we said you were likely to be married before us." Then what is it?" asked Dora, after a pause, and looking straight into her friend's face. " There's some- thing, Dessie. I've been looking at you a dozen times today, and each time the worried look has seemed to increase. Have you any other kind of trouble? " "Nothing that concerns myself; and nothing that I Shan t be able to tell you in a day or so," said the girl. Why not now? The time is never too soon for a confidence." "Why not now?" repeated Dessie, lapsing then into silence, as she weighed whether she would or not tell Dora what her real suspicions of the Count were She longed to warn her and put her on her guard, but she could not help feeling that to do that without having the actual proof would do little good, and might do harm If the evidence was not sufficient to at once convince the widow that her lover was really a scoundrel, she would be all the harder to convince in the end. Her faith must be broken at one blow, or it would survive a gradual assault. " Why not now? " repeated Mrs. Markham very softly pressing her companion's hand. " No. not yet," answered Dessie. " 1-1 must have a little more time." " Is it anything— anything about Godef roi ? Don't you "I Want to Know also Who You Arc ** 79 really like him any better than you did ? " Sh^ u.\..a .u question almost wistfully, rather like a chifd '' ''' 1 have not seen much more of him Excent thU He likes you, Dessie," she said at Ien«h " but h^ seems to understand that you dislike hin,^ He t the "as o,f r ho ""' r'"" "' ^'^ ''"o-. -^ he be" friends shoMH " ^"""'t •"■"• "«" ^O"' °"' of -y Dest fnends, should seem to both distrust and disMke h.m. Have you said anything to him about this ' Don't afra d you want to separate us, and he told me to-nieht t to come between us. I couldn't give him un Nrli! should ever make me. Don't tfy DeSe n^" '"i"^ "nut'd'rt""^ 'r^' anTholdX t Prom.se me- "-and she threw he/ arms rou"d D sst "I can promise you faithfully, mv dear'* .«c j the girl steadily, "that I will n^rask^^'u to Zl between your friendship for me and your love forX Count de Montalt." ^"^ lift^r^ 'V^f'" ^^'' '^' '^^^y ''^'' ^ere standing hfted her head and looked through them at hercom' pan,on. Then she dashed the tears hastily away L f thTy" .nterfered^ wuh her scrutinising the girl's face "^ .n/ rM '^'' *^"''" '^' ^^'^- "It sounds hard and without heart, not a bit like you. What has passed ! i 8o The Heritage of Peril between you and Godefroi to-day? Will you tell me? Something s'irious, I'm sure." Dessie was silent. The elder woman put her face close to the girl's, and stared eagerly and almost fiercely into it with an expression which her next question ex- plained. " Have you ever met him before ? Do you know any- thing about him — about him and any other woman ? Are you keeping anything from me? Dessie, you mustn't do that," she said with intense earnestness. " Mark me, I don't care what there is to know about other women. Men are not saints, and nothing short of an actual legal bar between us should ever keep Godefroi and me apart. I love him with all my soul, and if ever man loved woman he loves me. I want no more than that, and the knowl- edge makes me almost mad in my happiness. You can tell me anything. Let the past be what it may and as black as it may, the future he will keep white for love of me. Don't try to part us, Dessie. You can't do it." " He has been talking to you till he has excited you, Dora," said Dessie, still very quietly and firmly. " What I said last night, I say to-night. If he be what you think him, the marriage will have no heartier well-wisher than I." "Yes," answered her companion, impatiently and al- most angrily. " But there is something behind that ' if ' ; and when you say it I turn chill, and almost fear you, for the possibility of parting it suggests. Do you know, Des- sie, I believe I could hate even you if you tried to come between us." Then she got up hastily out of her chair and began to walk about the room ; and Dessie thought it best not to answer. Soon afterwards they both went upstairs to bed ; the girl realising more completely than she had vet "I Want to Know also Who You Arc" 8l done how strong and deep was the man's grip on her fnend's hfe. As soon as she was alone in her room she found her nerves were really unstrung. She was full of apprehen- sive fancies and fears. She seemed to picture the man as he might have glided about the room that evening when searchmg for the poison and hunting among her things The picture which her thoughts had painted for her of that other grim search of his in the Pyrenean homestead when his thoughts were busy with the purpose of mur- der, also came back to her now ; and she glanced atout the room as if calculating how it would adapt itself to such a purpose if he were to come there to kill her. She was so fearsome that she examined every nook and cranny of the room-under the bed. in the wardrobe m the cupboards, even in the large drawers, everywhere where a man could possibly or impossibly hide When she had satisfied herself that no one was in the room but herself she locked the doors and fastened the window • and then fortified all three by placing things in such a position that anyone opening either door or window would be sure to make sufficient noise to wake a sleeper And when at length she got into bed, she left the gas burning high enough for her to detect the slightest change in the position of anything. All this was absolutely foreign to her custom, but the shock of the afternoon's attempt had unhinged her She could not sleep. As often as she dozed she fell into some troubled dream from which she would wake up full of nervmis dread, and more than once in a clammy sweat Nothing occurred to substantiate the fears which spoilt her night s rest ; and when daylight came she fell asleeo with a feeling of profound thankfulness 82 The Heritage of Peril She rose the next morning comparatively unrefreshed, of course, and with a splitting headache; and though she could laugh in the daylight at her fears, and make fun to herself of the elaborate preparations of the night be- fore, she knew that many such nights would have serious consequences to her health. But her mind was soon ab- sorbed by thoughts of the appointment with de Montalt, and of what she had to do before it. Mrs. Markham was going to breakfast in her room, the maid told her. and thi. set Dessic free pretty early Her first task was to take the little bottle of poisoned tea to have it analysed ; and she started as soon as she had finished her bre?.kfast. After that she hurried on to her rooms to get what letters there might be-she knew there would be one from Tom Cheriton-and as soon as she had them she had no time to read them before start- mg on her return journey to South Kensington to be in time for her appointment with the Count. She travelled back by the Underground Railway and i^ad her lover's letter as she threaded her way through the squares to Gower Street Station, and finished it and the rest in the train. Tom's letter was a long one for him-^heery and bright and loving as usual ; but holding out no hope of an early return. His uncle. Samuel Davenant, was really ill this time, he said. Not dan- gerously but lingeringly ill; and he was altogether loath to let Tom out of his sight. " I think it would have been a jolly good move if I'd brought you down here with me. wrcte Tom. " and just let him see what a natty little beggar you can be when you choose. If those httle white fingers of yours had been busy making my poor old uncle comfortable, instead of dipping into other people s pies. I fancj' it might have been a deal better for you both, to say nothing of me. I hope, by the way, that t*- 1 "I Want to Know also Who You Arc" 83 Then s'hf refills L't, I ""^ '° "" f ""^ ' '""^ '™'- ^plaining .ha7 ^tfe ^d LATm • '''; ll",.'"'" that in consequence he JJt^ ^J,"™ Tf. ' ''°'^'! come to her. ° ^^^ away and There were three other letters t..,^ u • work-son,c fiction and "o^a iicll ThaThadToT ="""' ten— while the thirrl «,oc • , ""^^^ ^"^t had to be writ- brightened her eyes. It was Iron. ' "" "'^'' '«■" " My dearest Dessie, you-^^^^i^^ern^ie'r b^Tythfn" r^ ^T ' «^<^-- I have been seeking you ^l'^^,^^'^ ^P '"^ than dearest. just now found yof r^address ^fe 'T T^ ^^^^ «">y most by an accident. But ' shaS call^nH ^^' ^'''' ^^- morrow morning and tell voi, nffl T ^"^ '^^ ^o" to- has been growing anf tLngth jfiL S'' ^''l '""^ ^^^^^ since we parted years a^o nmW ^- " ""^ ^^^^ ever now ashamed to rlSu ^ ^' circumstances I am "Ever your devoted friend, " Edmund Landale." ofL^;:a:rb^ef:je%rhai:^^^^^^^^^^^ — how utterly contemptible anHK ' '^^'" ^^"^'"^r her and as Dessie r^IdTt^ I'/ff ^^""^ ^^ -"^ be; read the letter and thought of the past and 84 The Heritage of Peril of the man's conduct her heart was full of both bitterness and foreboding. He knew much, and was scoundrel enough to use his knowledge for her harm. The knowledge that he was coming again into her life was galling and disheartening ; and all the time she was in the train she sat brooding unhappily over the possible complications and troubles that might be the result to her. Now more than ever she fretted at her lover's ab- sence from London, and regretted she had not already told him what had to be told. She needed his strength ; the comforting assurance of his love and above all the certainty that what had to be told would make no differ- ence in his feelings for her. Her present mood made her take the darkest and gloomiest views of everything. Though there was nothing in the past disgraceful to herself, yet there were undoubtedly certain things which any man must hear with great regret and which many a man would regard as serious obstacles to making her his wife. She felt as sure of Tom Cheriton as a woman could be of a generous true fellow who loved her with all his heart. She had once felt sure of this contemptible scoun- drel, Landale; and Tom also had to look to his position, and — but at that point she broke off the thread of this thought to scold herself for harbouring even an implied suspicion of her lover's loyalty. But for all that she could not be quite easy. If only he had been in town that morning she would have gone to him there and then and told him everything without reserve. Out of this came an impulse. She would send off the telegram she had thought of the previous night in her moment of panic; and as soon as she left the South "I Want to Know also Who You Are" 85 Kensington Station she did so, urging him to run up to her at once ,f only for an hour or so. as something most serious had occurred. The sense that that message woul. bring him to her he p within a few hours calmed her agitation somewhat ; but Sir Edmund Landale's letter was altogether the worst possible preparation which she could have had for the interview with the Count de Montalt. and she was very nervous and unstrung as she walked along the Cromwell Koad, and on nearing the short street leading to the for he^r '^"^^'^ ''^^^ ""^ ^'' *^" ^^"^^"^"^ ^^'^ ^^'^'"& " You are not looking at all well, Miss Merrion," was h.s greeting, as he looked keenly into her face-he did not rk;Ttr ki^d'^'^ '^^^- "^- -^ - «-<^ ^- " I have not come to discuss my looks, but to hear what you WISH to say to me," said Dessie, coldly "I adniire your courage; but at the same time the fact hat you have thought it wise to come shows me you can temper it with a shrewd discretion." " I have no wish to bandy words or terms with you The reason for our meeting is this. I told you yesterday I should tell Mrs. Markham what I k-new about you if you went again to the house without giving me proofs that you are not the man I say. You did go again to the house, and said that you had the proofs lith^ou {„! stead of producing them, you made a dare-devil attempt so that there may be no mistake on that score. You then made a desperate endeavour to get possession of the poison by stealing up like a thief into my room, and ran- sacking eveiy nook and cranny. You failed; but even then, unabashed, you had the hardihood to tell me you 86 The Heiitagc of Peril knew I had discovered your actions, but that you would meet me this morning and give me the proofs you had before said you could produce — proofs that you are the Count de Montalt, and not Rolande Lespard, the mur- derer of old Paul Duvivier." " You have an excellent faculty of direct speech, Miss Merrion," said the man, with a sneer. " A trick of jour- nalism, I suppose." " Please be good enough to keep to the unpleasant sub- ject that has made this meeting necessary," interrupted Dessie, curtly. " That is just the point which you have missed. But to dc you justice, I am not sure that you quite know what that is. If you remember, I f omised you something more than the proofs you wanted." He stopped, and looked at her with an indescribably evil smile. " Ugh ? You remember now ** " The girl waved her hand in deprecation. " No, it is not unimportant," he said, in answer to the gesture. " It is most important. It means no less than that this interview may end in your arrest, Miss Merrion. Your arrest on a most serious charge. You want to know who I am, and will not believe that I am what I say. I want also to know who you are, and why you stole jewels worth thousands of pounds five years ago, and have made no effort to restore them. Stole them from a waiting-room at the Birmingham station on the 14th of March, 1887." For all his strange career and experiences, Dessie was a far better actor than he; and though now taken in- finitely by surprise, she held her feelings splendidly in check, and answered in a deliberate tone and calculating manner, as though recalling facts from her memory. " The fourteenth of March — the fourteenth of March. "I Want to Know also Who You Arc " 87 I am not surprised you have that date well in you- .oughts. That was the day when you were arrestee for the murder of Paul Duvivier. on the very m>ot you me.u.on-the platform of Birmingham station " By the time she had finished her sentence, she had recovered her composure. The clanger of the crisis quickened her wits, and she looked at him coldly and •sternly, as she added : ^ " Why do you tell me this? I see in it no proof that you are not old Duvivier's murderer. On the contrary It only shows that I am right about you." CHAPTER VIII AN OMINOUS MEETING Never in all her life had Dessie Merrion had greater need of all her pluck and shrewdness than at the moment when she stood facing the Count de Montalt. forcing down her fears and anxieties, and thinking eagerly what course he should take and whether she should admit or deny her possession of the jewels. If she denied it, then her knowledge of his identity had no substantial foundation; if she admitted it, he would have possibly as great a power over her as she had over him. She was altogether ignorant as to what the effect to her might be of having kept the rubies. It was certain that she had not stolen them. She believed the two let- ters she had received from the woman whose bag she had taken in mistake would clear her of that charge cer- tainly ; but how far she was justified in retaining posses- sion of them, and whether she could be punished for hav- ing done so, she did not know. But she had now to choose her course in ignorance of the consequences ; and yet having once taken it she might have to stick tc it through thick and thin ; and the diffi- culty of choice puzzled, and indeed for the moment baffled and bewildered her. All these considerations flashed through her thoughts as she stood facing her antagonist and waiting for him to answer; while she was conscious that the keen dark eyes were searching her face to guess her thoughts. 88 Ad Ominous Meeting g^ " This promises to be an excem.n«»ii. • . vcrsation." he said, after a rn^n^!' ^ «nteresting con- ally interesting, ^alwe rronf'T jl^^^P*-- at one another in this way T ust a ,itfl T^, '"'''"^ don't you think?" ^ ^"'■' "melodramatic, I slidXr;'" rntrhrdit"' ' r"' ■"' "'^'« *"« I have a considerable adt.W 1"*""'"'' °"^ ""o"-"- your connection with this ew,.K,l"' ''"'""«'«^ »' -when I come to iLk ^Z;:!™"" «' d'T "T" wife. But we can tallc of fh,. 1 "* °' "">■ '"'"« of the future. I wan. o sl^'f 7*" ''"''• '^'•« « you going to do? Areyo??oli, 7"'"'- *''"»« unpleasant step oir.lZS^V'l"''"."" '° '*"« ""e Markham, »d^eavinT ™u ^o it ""r"^' '° -^"• as yon please.' Orshanw^w?v '"'''' «P'an«ion before ? „ade thLl oT V^f^'r " ^^^^^^ peremptory as you were vesi.ri '° ''*"'' »"'' rather .0 screen 'you ir^^'ssS"'' ""' "'' ^'"'"8 whei ztsurmVrs 1° n j: *''^' ^^ -- •hat you pretend to have m^deaL.m, IT "^"^'"^ ".eet you to get the proofs of your Men,;, '' ~T "■ to satisfy me you are not Roland" uIm^T;"'"';'"^ of these you hatch up this story " ^ ' ^'^ '" P'*« you are a young lady of verv questiS' ^^' *^'* one of whose exploits undouSe'rwas to be""'"'''"'^.' m the robbery of very valuahl. • f concerned years ago." ^ ^"^^^' ^"^^^'^ '" March, five 90 The Heritage of Peril Dessie smiled at this as she answered, " I am not much disposed to think that you will ro any nearer to a policeman than you are obliged. But please yourself. I have made up my mind in this matter. I have wired this morning to ask Mr. Cheriton to come up to London at once, and I shall then lay the whole facts befoie him. Till then I shall do nothing. Afier then, you can do what you please. I have no more to say, and as you have not done what you said should be done at this interview, I prefer not to prolong it." With that she turned away abruptly, and left him, without giving him time to reply. Her one thought, desire and policy now was to see Tom, and tell him everything. The Count stood and stared after her in anger and astonishment at her sudden decision ; and at first he made a step or tv;o as if to follow her. But he checked him- self, and turned away, thinking rapidly. " If the two once get together before I have com- pleted such a case as I can make up against her, I shall be beaten," he muttered to himself. " It's all gone splen- didly up to now — up to the time of this sharp-eyed, keen- witted, plucky little beggar coming in to spoil everything. I'll do as I thought — go to her rooms, and ransack the place— see what I can find," With that he hailed a han- som, and told the man to drive fast to the address of Dessie Merrion's rooms. There, a little impudence, a lie or two, and a tip im- posed upon the woman housekeeper, so that he gained admission to the girl's three rooms. He said that she was coming back directly to meet him, and had given him the key of the rooms. He produced a card of hers, on which he had pencilled, in writing meant to resemble An Ominous Meeting I 91 hers, an instruction to let the bearer wait in the rooms. When the key he produced would not fit the lock, he made an excuse to the woman that Dessie had obviously given him the wrong one; whereupon, she opened the door for " Miss Merrion didn't tell me as you was coming, sir. not when she was here for her letters jes' now; leastways a hour or so ago. But I suppose it's all right." My good woman, do I look as if it could be all wrong?" asked de Monul, and his handsome L fash,„„ab,y cut clothes, and pleasant smile quite disarmed „n ;k :-^°" , '■ "'°"' "■"fortaWe to see me sitting fllhi ''^'"•,^"'' :,'''««"«. '"««d of in this very com fortable armchair, IVe no objection. I'll do anything to obhge so manifestly kind and pleasant a lady as your- self But personally, I prefer the chair; " and he smiled agam, m a way that convinced the woman there could be no gmle behtnd .t. Then, as she wa. leaving the room rirl 1, u "T * gentleman calls before Miss Mer- re";':: '::::/" •"''* ^'»'"-^<"'''' •-"- >« -in, JJ.T T"' f'- '*''' "" """™"' *' ™"e on the m^ s face broadenmg as the door closed behind her He sat still, listening to her footsteps go down the staircase, and then opening the door ve,^ quietly h" wt his head out, and listened more intently s'll. ^'e hea^ her moving about in the lower part of the h^mlZd th«, he closed the door again, shot the bolt on the lilsfde ^aroi^Xr^ '° ""■' » *= -^ «-ich he had^; Less than half an hour's rapid but most systematic 92 The Heritage of Peril search convinced him that he had better concentrate his attention on the safe, and that there was Httle or nothing of any consequence to be found outside it. One sharp glance at the safe told him that it would not give him much trouble. It was a cheap, well-painted thing got up to sell and called burglar-proof. But the plates were little thicker than sheet tin, while the vulner- able spots to those who know where to look for them were many. And the Count de Montalt knew well enough. " I could open this thing with an oyster knife, even if I couldn't pick the lock with a bent nail," he said to himself with a contemptuous laugh when he had exam- ined it closely; and after some half hour's ingenious work he succeeded in picking the lock. He commenced instantly to overhaul its contents • and taking them out he went through them very carefully. What he found interested him deeply and more than once as he read some of the papers and glanced at the nature of others, he smiled in self-congratulation at his dis- coveries. He was completely absorbed in the work, and he thus started violently when some one rapped smartly at the door, tried the handle, and then, finding it locked knocked again. ' " Can this be the girl ; or - 1 hope not - that bluster- ing lover of hers, Cheriton.? " he said to himself in alarm. If It IS there'll be a scrimmage in all probability." While he was thinking he was also acting quickly. He bundled all the unimportant papers back into the safe and closed the door; thrust a f.w into the pocket of his coat, which he put on again quickly, removed as many traces of his work as possible, and then sat down in the arm chair, and waited for the knock to be repeated. When it came again, he yawned very loudlv, got up commenced instantly to overhaul its contents. /■".<.'<■ 03. n-. ifcH An Ominous Meeting 93 If he had just awoke, while his hand concealed a smothered yawn. concealed a lon7luMirl°"' "r°P' ^°" ^"^^"'* ^^" knocking ic^g. But the truth was I got tired waiting and dropped off mto a snooze." As he spoke he wa! eyeing ve' keenly the new comer, a middle-sized. dapt^r-lLInL , " Wonder who the devil you are." was de Montalfs inward comment. "Won't you come in?" he ask d seemg the man hesitate. ' viJton' "°' ''"' ^''' ^"'"""'^ ^°°'"^?" -^ked the r.ll^!f ^hejover, evidently." thought the Count much relieved, as he replied aloud. "Of course they are S be here m a minute or two. Come in. She should be 1 expect you re the man she said was coming " and he held out his hand for the card which he saw Z tZ other's hand. "Ohf Landale^Sir EdJn^d Lan L^!-' ye^ of course Well. I don't know whether that was L na^e she said. Oh! yes, Landale. of course" aTsome :^^^^'' '^ ''' -^ ^- -- «^-^ ;; I wrote and said I should be here this morning." xhe devi you did." thought his hearer; "then I Zed' ^ f ^ rr' '"' *° '"^^^ y-" ^"i ^'-Th ZfiH ' ^ ^°^- ^""' I ^™ ^b««l"tely in her confidence now, and whatever you have to say may as well be said through me. Sir Edmund " ^ The baronet looked infinitely surprised at this and his f^tz::iii:rT :r ^ '^^ ^^^^^ w^ch rot man met with a bland and courteous expression. I -' ■ r ■ . » I 94 The Heritage of Peril " Do you mean that Miss Merrion told you the pur- port of my letter. Mr.-Mr.-I didn't catch your name? " Wo I haven't mentioned it. De Montalt, my name "Tm^ ?""* ^^ ^''"*^'^- ^ ^^'■^^ay yo» know it." No, I never heard it. But may I ask what relation you stand m toward Miss Merrion ? " " Well, I am afraid that that would be a little difficult to explam," was the very truthful answer, continued untruthfully. " You can judge pretty well that as I am here m her rooms alone waiting for her we're not stran- fidlnce" ^""'^ ^°" ^°" ^'^^ ^^""^ "^'^^ ^^'°^"^^ *'°"- '' Do you mean that you know the object of my visit? " No, I can't say that, or I could give you an answer without waiting for you to say a word But, of course 1 know of your former friendship for her." '• You mean that I was engaged to be married to her? " What else should I mean?" answered De Montalt with a shrug of the shoulders. But he had c.y made a shot on the strength of an entry or two in an old diary ne had seen. ^ "And you know why it was broken off?" said the other eagerly. " I have heard, but for the moment I forget It left you very low down in her esteem, as you can imagine." This was another shot founded on a reference to the baronet which he had discovered. " Do you mean she is still bitter? " " What else would she be? You know her," was the answer, spoken with a very expressive and significant "You are really her intimate friend, and I can speak op«ily to you?" asked Landale. after a moment's pause. You must please yourself about that. I seek no An Ominous Meeting 95 man's confidence against his will. You and I are stran- gers personally ; I don't know what your motive n.ay be. bad Tfh riM ""T' '^^' '" '"y ^P'"'«" i^ ^'together bad. I ih.nk 1 d rather not hear anything. Of course I know you by name, and anyone .^ht well be a^l^u iT.r ' ' '".'"^ ^^''■^•^"'^'■- ^ •<"«- ^'-^^^ Per- rons affa.rs pretty intimately, as I told vou; but what she would wish me to tell you is another matter '' otlerT.n' '^'''? ''"'t^ 'P'^'^' '"^^"^^^ '^"^^^^ the . [x. n ^^"^^ *° ^^^^^' ^"^ 't succeeded Well, to tell you the truth," said the baronet after a ew n^oments' reflection, as he threw himself into"a hair thartr;;.'- ^^^^' questions I'd much rather put to you " If I can help you, fire away. Only don't tell me anv- thmg you feel the least compunction about, and mind' ' speak. I don t bmd myself to answer a single question " 1 want to know whether Miss Merrion has anv ' ove affair?" He coloured slightly under the Cout"^ sharp gaze. ^.v/um .«, "I can't answer that until I know your motive" said the latter, as if suspiciously. ' " My motive's plain enough," returned the baronet speakmg more freely now that the ice was broken "I want to renew the old engagement " "Phew!" whistled the other. '"The deuce you do Then why on earth did you ever break it off ? " Because I was a fool for one thing, and because I "Whafs that?" exclaimed the Count, jumping to his feet ,n profound astonishment and staring open eyed a the speaker. Then recovering himself with a supreme I ^ 96 The Heritage of Peril effort, he let out a tremendous oath, and exclaimed, as if rehevmg his infinite indignation, " Do you mean you were such a confounded cad as that ? I beg your pardon. Of course it's no affair of mine. Excuse my heat. But for the moment I lost self-control." It was a cleverly acted scene to hide from the other man the almost uncon- trollable excitement which his words had caused. "You can answer my questions or not. as you please, sir. exclaimed Sir Edmund Landale, angrily, " but in either case I beg you will spare me the unpleasantness of your personal comment." "Certainly I will," returned the Count. He had regained self-control now and spoke quite in his usual manner. " I apologise. I am one of the most excitable fools on earth, and I constantly blurt out what a mo- ment's reflection shows me is a fool's verdict. I may say at once, however, that in speaking to Miss Merrion on this subject I have more than once pointed out to her that you had practically no other course open to you." " I don't need your advocacy any more than your criti- cism, thank you. I ought not to h«ve spoken at all probably." " That is for yourself to consider," returned de Mon- talt, with quiet firmness ; and he added with much ap- parent candour, "I will answer you very fully no;v. I am afraid you have no chance of renewing the old en- gagement, in the ordinary way. Miss Merrion is en- gaged to be married to a Mr. Tom Cheriton, a barrister, and they are hoping to be married soon. But I do not like him, and if I could do something to hinder the matcli I would, with all my he rt. I don't know whether you— " he paused, leaving the sentence unfinished, save for a look. A child could have seen that the blow struck hard. I .;? An Ominous Meeting 97 ••Are you-?" began Sir Edmund, hesitating. Mrs Markham, of Edgcumbe Square, where Miss Mer non IS now stopping If I rr.« h.i« will, and I think I L bit ^' 11^ T IT ""^ ^'^' ^ very grave. ^' ^"'"- ^^ stopped, and looked "But what?" " Is this much to you ? " •'What is it?" asked Landale. one of those men who look ,o the end to iL achieved I You say they mean to be married 'innn ?" u i .. weakly, trifling with the temptatio" ' "' "'""'■ yes, of course, that's just the deuce of it If ,h... one can do anything, she'll tCZik^!'' *' " ''' '■^'°« The other man winced at this word. ' 98 M i' The Heritage of Peril Of course you understand I shouldn't let your hand really appear m it at all. at first," continued de Montalt. I shouldn t thmk that good tactics. She'd be suspicious possibly, and everything might be spoilt." The bait was taken, with that addition ;; You haven't told me yet what it is you propose." It s simply a judicious use of that past of hers I to this, but, of course, to do this one must have all the details pat and some of them have slipped from my rneniory while others I don't know. You would not ap' Fact th t T' ':l''T ' P^°™^^ >'°" ' -" - "- the ^cts that she will be glad to welcome you as a friend knowing all and ready to take her as she really is. She loved you dearly in the past, and her love would live again, if only this Cheriton entanglement were out of the quicWy"!" ^° ''"" ""' "" '° ^°- *™- " "^'^ *' l^™"". fs"an?Hlwr°''' *^u r' "" '" "'^ saps, and cross the ihTf M ',! °' ""= '<"°"''dg« I already have of that -that Marlow business. Then you can leave me to do Ihe res and stand aside till I give you the cue. The s;::p:^or.'."''"'"""'^'°"-"^-°-''"«- Then the Count drew his chair closer to the other man und hstened to what he had thus schemed so daringly and' deverty to learn. And as he listened he saw i^ his thoughts, the web that he could weave mesh by mesh romtd the girl who had tried to thwart him 1 CHAPTER rx "l KNOW YOUR WHOLE STORY" awfy wi ha promise t ' ""' ^'^ '^'''"""<" Landale down the stairwav h;. ' ° ^s the latter went a leer o^^ht^ceVat l?"^"'"" '""''"' ^''^ >-■» with success that he hadlTn./ "".'""' °' '""""P'' '"^ 'he Who. he had :«;wl?rn1heMor"""" '°' '"' """ alone baffled him, as he could nit re-fock ij ""'^ con^vLe'd ."h^e waTn^W^or '"' ^°°"'=' "■« "' '- turb him; and hr,hereforld I"' ^""""^ '° *- to make ; few raoid „«";/. 7 ""' "''''' '" '"e table baronet, m™ colC t »"versation with the papers he ^d LT? :„ ih/saT'";' '"? *'"■ '"^ the best plan of proced.^" '' '"' ''' """''''■e out a.?:s-7d^-lr'i:s m^L-Ltan: ^ t^-^ ---.H.a:sta^cL^rrr:-°-T;;a. 99 lOO The Heritage of Peril she 11 go through fire and water rather than betray any- one. Gad. what a blessed thing it is some people arc so infernally good that a pledge once given they'll keep it at any sacrifice. But now. there's one thing absolutely critical and only one thing-she mustn't see Cheriton till my cards are tabled. Then perhaps she won't want to I wish I knew what she'd wired him this moming. Won- der .f I dare wire him. No, by heaven. I have it "-and he dashed his fist violently down on the table-" I'll ^et away to South Kensington, and find out whether he's coming up. and if he is. I'll slip out and send a bogus telegram to her in a name that'll make her jump out of her skm. and then deal with the man. By Jove the games getting worth playing for itself, to say nothing of the stakes-and they're heavy enough to boot " He smiled more than once as he thought of his latest device, and made ready to go. •'By the way, just as well not to leave too broad a trail behmd me here, in the shape of evidence, m 1 baTk ^■! \ ^ I' ■" "^"""''i. >s he took OB. the card ^tter -rj,: ,^™*«' P;--n<' tossed the™ to .he X o, mile .h^i^r^" '" "'" » '^^ '" *' Po--^ He was in the act of calling a cab when he remem- r ! ; -i ,' " ' J^now Your Whole Story " , o i lumed and set out in ,earch of a restaurant that was good enough to accord with his taste He lunche,! well, and had a glass o- two of good wine H^^^rsed ttw^t^rtr^n:.^'* '''\':'- '^^ »!?" :^XiieVa^r5"^^^^^^^^^ f «hti;L"r tn,eTptnesZ:rr- '" he. I don^t thl^'Th: e" U ttr "'T.? " ""^'" hold his tongue and buymerr 's:^^ !Z '^7"! and make mistakes so much more frequently " ' rrom this his thoughts travelled tn .1. pledged to marrv " D '"Yel'ed to the woman he was rendULr^ass J'^ns^^^.f ^^^^^^^^ ror;:xrserrn-t-;s ;:--■■»' Sink everything. Lord, what w.udC^ HkHL^t" golden doll like that-if one meant ,o r. ! * ally. She loves me ; tha^s onT'hing tL" • '°""""'°"" card there; and I helieve her loJ^^^ at'^lt^Tv^X! I02 The Heritage of Peril ?1 which makes her think I live but for her silly self— would make ^ stick to me through thick and thin ; ay, through every, ng, or at least almost everything." He smiled and showed his white even teeth, and then admired himself in the little looking-glass in the cab, and glancing out, ogled a pretty girl who was passing. Then he harked back in thought to his plans, and in this broken, desultory fashion continued to muse. He was a man of implacable purpose ; but he preferred to seek it by the leaps and bounds which impulse prompted rather than by the steady, deliberate methods of close calculation. He was capable of perpetrating any crime, however desperate and daring, almost on the spur o- .he mon^ont ; and he would carry through any scheme once conceived, however venturesome and hazardous. Thus he would often succeed by sheer dash and bravado, where another man of more set purpose and steady deter- mination might fail. He was indeed a more dang -rous man to deal with than one who laid his plans with consistent forethought. It was impossible to estimate what step he would take. He had an infinite quickness in seeing and seizing an oppor- tunity, an equal capacity in turning it to account, and a reckless readiness in the adoption of his means. But he often wearied of his objects before he had gained them. The whole of this marriage scheme was the outcome of a merely chance encounter. He had seen George Vezey and his friend in the middle of a row with Belgian sailors, and perceiving that if he rescued them he could probably turn the connection to personal advantage, he had dashed in and saved them without a thought of the danger to himself. When he had done it he began to consider how he couid best make them pay the price of the service he had rendered. He followed them to Ostend, saw Mrs. J |i "I Know Your Whole Story" 103 Markham, read her at a glance, and forthwith resolved to marry her for the sake of her money. He succeeded al- most instantly ; and all was going well when Dessie Mer- rion threatened to stop him. To do that was to rouse all the devil in him. His first instinct was to silence her at any cost. When she had shown herself determined to baulk him, he had thought no more of trying to kill her than of kicking a mad dog that threatened to bite him. His one feeling in regard to that attempt was infinite anger that he had failed. The drug he had chosen was one that would have been exceedingly difficult to trace, and he cursed his folly for having bungled. Meanwhile, his suspicions that the girl herself had cer- tain things to hide in her past had been aroused, in con- sequence of something that had fallen from her in their first conversation; and when it was necessary to go to her room to search for the poisoned tea, he had used the opportunity to rummage her boxes for any paper or ref- erence that would give him the clue. He had found a clue to the fact that she was the girl who got hold of the jewels that day when he had been arrested at Birming- ham, and this had determined him to find out more. This he had done in much greater detail than he had anticipated, thanks to the shrewd stroke of overhauling Bessie's rooms, and the information which had been given him by Sir Edmund Landale. He quite appre- ciated that man's petty and malignant scoundrelism, even while he himself resolved to make use alike of the man and his knowledge. What he had learnt had been much increased by the way it had fitted in with many other facts already in his possession ; and he now felt that he was almost certain to win. When the cab stopped at Mrs. Markham's house he M .1 »04 The Heritage of Peril jumped out, tossed the man a liberal far^h. generous with cabmen =nrf .n u '"*-"« *" always fort-and Z ?on^L« "J" ministered to his corn- house, '^''"fid^tly up the steps of the splendid Mar^ham C^ot^t htr « 'hldV:;" ""^ '"" «"• ing him to wait should hT^llfr: ht'abir"'^' ''^''■ IsM,ssMerrionin?"heasked. ^' Ai, » TM?^ tlrawing-room, sir." "ounce^Le" rZ^lZ^JlT^nVl ^ ss^Sc^rx^-^-Zr---- door. "" * *■""' °n his lips opened the wh^l: d^ :^"fd s"e t\ !," ■^o"' ^-'-. »0 Pectation in herTe b„t .^ t^^ ."" "'"■ » K'°" <>' "- her disappoint:e:lr:t^ee *th ;tS TV^'^P'^ ■» loved it was the man of aU^othe" IX^'^^^ ''■' f I :;«' n" x^:: tKrih'^^™^ -^ •'^"'• ^afe alone." He «nders,o«. sate m a room alone with me. But " I Know Your Whole Story " 105 you will run more danger just now in leaving the room than m stopping here." * " Nevertheless, I insist on your allowing me to pass This ,s monstrous. Would you have me ring for the as.' sistance of the servants ? " ^ cheeks ' '"^'' ^""^'"^ ^"'^^ fl"^'^^^ to her •' You are right. It would b. monstrous to ring for m:Jll^T ' ^^'''"^ ^ '^''^^ at her-" for you Miss-M arlow, now. do yc-j wish to go ? " He stood aside, opened the door, bowed low with one hlndiorh^:,^^ '''''''''''' ^"--- -^ ^^^ But the mere mention of the name had conquered the n^lrtli:;^^^^ -' ^^^-^""- ^^<^ -^ <^~ tt " Yoa are very foolish to drive me to give vou these sharp thrusts, young lady." he said closinf *eZr a^d .'Tb";i "Ve^y foolish. ButyouVselftnt to IK brokoi m. Now you will understand that thines are very different from what they were when we met tw! ™orn,ng, and when you are sufficiently rl^eedlot able to hear me out T win ♦^n t '-"*«^»cu m oe c*i inc out i will tell you what you had hetttr The mention of her lover's name was to the girl like Jt'::^' "^: ^;:T^a2 fr ■"*" *•"' "="* --^ was th«» H.cf . r ^^* °^ ^°"ow> and especially was the distress of women unpleasant. It did not soften ■ I 1 06 The Heritage of Peril him m the shghtest. Had the girl been actually dyine he would still have carried out his plan. It was n«i ^ry to h,s project to remove this panicular obslde Tom oL^"s'el^v^^^ ' ^ "°"^' ^" -^ -^ '^^ onered itself. He would have preferred a wav that or mat would at any rate have kent hirr, «.,* i contact with *u^ J ^ "" °"' °^ persona contact with the evidences of the trouble. BuVif no toJZ 17 T "'' *'^^' '""^ ^^ --t -d-e tSe vZTedro::pori^r^ ^^^ ^^^^-^ °^ ^« ^^i who reg^X^!t'rt!^'''' ' 'T' "P°" ^'^'^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ility. fofa Zt in t "' f *"'" °^ ^^«' ^d he took 1 aJJn u °'^" ^^^°"' ^h^t «o far from gloatinir over Dessie's humiliation he was sorry for heT ^ 1 am very sorry to have to cause you thioveZiU:ch ^eunh,lf°f ''^.'■"'«'«ses and weaknesses that make up half of one's hfe. This is a weakness." I can never thmk of weakness in co^uecion with you I i 1 , 114 The Heritage of Peril Godefroi. You always seem to me so strong, so self- rchant. so resolute^ut I shall love to hear of a weak- ness and she laughed in sheer childish happiness. It was only a dream of mine. Something last night mus have made me very thoughtful. I walked to my hotel, and went straight to my room and to bed and I dreamt! as vividly as only one with my imagination can dream First, the sun was shining in a land that seemed all gold and you and I were walking hand in hand on the shore of a sea. silver calm; and the air seemed soft with the sweetness of peace and love. Then came a change. It was still day, but the sun was setting, and we were on a road hard and stony, leading over a barren plain to the ga es of a city that frowned on us from ahead. And we toiled oyer the rough way. each full of love for the other, each helping, cheering. hoping-tiU as we came close to tlT." I '/"^.' '^" ''^ '"" '"^^ ^"^^^y. the air turned dark, and when we passed the gates, they closed with a heavy clang behind us, and the night felt chill and chnging Then turning I saw on the gate the words in letters of dull, menacing lead-' Who enter, part;' and I seemed to grasp in a moment the meaning of all~we were to part." * He paused and drew her closer to him as he con- tinued : — " I took you in my arms then, and hid your face on my breast, that you might not see what was written, and turning I went back to the gate and struck it, and strove with all my force to open it. But all that came of my efforts was a waste of strength and a mocking laugh I turned again and holding you that you might not hear the sound. I fled with you along the road into the middle of the city. Then suddenly there was a gaping, gibing jeering crowd at our heels and on all sides of us out- I The Shadow of the Past «'5 ^ne and laugh, and utter .necrs at u. becau« we loved each other and were to part. And then-ah. Dora I can feel them now-long, bony finger,, and str.^g skele- ton arm, ,e,«d and held me, and though I struggled till I thought my heart would hurst in my frenzy, fhey tore of Tv,t T' ""'." "^'^ "' "'<= ^"'■"■•^»' <" »<>"«•"'<■. jour smle. your kisses, your love, came upon me and what « would be to me to lose you; and when I woke .t was w,,h the terrible dread on me that the dream wa! one of those strange warnings that we mortals have omens of coming calamity. But it shall no. be. ThauT? Tell me sweetheart, nothing shall ever part us." If „7"""f'..^«f™'; ■""hing on earth if I can help it. to him and kissed him, and made him kiss her over and over a^in, as if some protection against the f^r " parting Uy in the multitude of kisses. And in this way it came to be tacitly understood be 3 7 V"" 'u^ """^^^ should 'take pTacT^^e^y InTvVr ,"■''''"" '"'' '" '""f h'" '"I merriment in sTraT^fr "T"" " *' -«"?«»". with no though" t2\ I' °"" """'>' '° "'^ «"-«*evere two great fe=r« . Over and over again her question and his replv kent recurnng to her. "How did you get them> ' ''You had better not ask. The storv will nJ ," , " xiic srory will not make pleasant ii6 The Story of Red Delilah 117 hearing for anyone— for you espcciaUy." What did he mean? She had not dared to ask him. But a n^ a 5 . ' finding out the truth by herself occurred to he -and it was the thought that in this way she would h^e some- thing to fill up her time until her lover came, wh.ch ra ■• her some relief. ' ' The two or three hours' sleep that she had in the early mornmg after coming to this decision calmed her a good deal and steadied her nerves, and when she went down- stairs ,t was with a full perception of the necessity for tacmg the crisis resolutely, and not permitting herself tf^ give way to such outward weakness as that in which her interview with the Count had -nded on the day be- fore. A letter from Tom Cheriton cheered her. It was ful of concern for her and regret that his uncle's illness had made ,t impossib'^ to get away, while he promised that the next day shoui. see him by her side in town He promised this, and told her to depend upon him. This was the part of the letter which cheered her. Her intention was to go to Scotland Yard in her char- acter as a journalist, and as if in search of matter for an article, to make inquiries about those Rohilkund jewels She was not unknown at the Yard, as she had been there more than once for similar purposes in her hunt for good copy." She asked for Inspector Malcolm, whom she knew personally, and he received her very kindly and courteously. She was a favourite of his : and as he had first k-nown her as a girl with no friends, fighting a pluckv fight for a living, he had always been glad to help hei^ If a chance came in his way. ' "You don't look very well, Miss Merrion," he said. eyes. " I'm l(X)king at f r with kind compassionate .^c. x m afraid you're overworking. Got some new story ready for us ? We always buy your books, and it would do vou ii8 The Heritage of Peril good to see the pleasure which they cause when I take one home," " I think one will be published next month, Mr. Mal- colm. But it's not the writing of that which has made me run down. I finished it long since ; and the pleasure of writing it was like a holiday. I shall send you a copy with my name in it if you'll let me. But now, I've come on business this morning. You may have seen some mystery stories— jewel stories — of mine, running in one or two places. No? Well, they're not the same class of thing as the books which you like. They're pot boilers, you see. People like that sort of thing; so I have to turn them out. One must boil to live, you know. Most of them are founded on fact ; and to tell you the truth I'm in search of facts now. Things that actually happen are so much more extraordinary than things one imag- ines. In fact, it's only the impossible that's common- place nowadays. What I want now is a good, rich, fruity fact with plenty of crime in it, and to be served with more than a soupgon of murder and mystery." " Well, we've plenty of it binned here," said the In- spector, " but I don't know that I'm glad to hear you're taking to writing about that side of human nature. Miss Merrion. We like your books for the absence of it." " Then don't you read these tales. But I'll tell you the case which has been suggested to me as likely to serve my present purpose "—she took a piece of paper from her pocket and read from it—" the case of the Rubies of Rohilkund ; a murder, or mystery, or intrigue, five or ten years ago. There, can you help me to get the facts of it?" Inspector Malcolm looked at her so shrewdly and gravely for a moment that the thought crossed her mind that he suspected she had some other motive. She was The Story of Red Delilah 1 1 9 very nervous, but his hesitation sprang from no other cause than momentar)- reluctance to tell the story to her Its not a nice story, Miss Merrion. and I wish you had asked for any other. I know the facts well enough- mdeed. no one better, for I was personally engaged in it. If you can do without precise details-I mean exact spelling of names, days of the month and week, and so on--I can give you the facts myself without bothering to look them up. Enough for your purpose I expect." ^^ bure to be," assented Dessie. " If not. I'll ask you " It must be seven years I think-either six or seven at any rate— that the case came under our notice; and giv- ing you the facts, not in the order in which we found them out. but somewhat as they occurred they were about these. You can make your notes and pop in any question you want to ask. The jewels got called the Rubies of Rohilkund because of a newspaper paragraph; but as a ma ter of fact there were only three stones in this part of the busmess. Three very large, very' fine stones and immensely valuable; and they were in a gold settine- a star which had formed part of a most lovely Indian btate ornament— the Regal Crescent " s^^'" "' ''"' '^"'' ^°"'^ ^° "^"' y°" »---." .fl7 ^T 7 ^u""""^^ ^""* >^°" "P °"^- ^t ^^« a curious elrrjh T "^ f «^Pomts-one of these huge rubies at each, the fourth pomt joining it to the centre of the crescent This sort of thing-" and he drew a rough out! hne of the design. " Well, the Crescent was part of the State jewels of Rohilkund. and they got over to this country under very curious circumstances. The then Maharajah-he's dead now-was about as bad a man as any State could be cursed with, and when he had spent every rupee he could drag from his wretched people he I20 The Heritage of Peril worth \ f h , ^' °^ ''"'"^ '^' ^'^'' jewels-they are worth a fabulous sum. and famed all the world over-and gettmg paste imitations made to put in their places. Ac- whom t^ ^ T. ^'^^i '° ^"""^P^ ^ '"^ "^"^^^ Maiwand, rSrunlctn "'i '""'^^f'^' '^°"^^ *^^ "^^" ^^« -« big a drunkard and scoundrel as the master ; and he ^ave into h. charge half of all this most priceless colSdo"' What do you say was his name?" asked Dessie looknjg up from the shorthand note she was taking ' Mamand. Well, you can guess what happened- at least you could if you knew much of London Hfe The rnansenied first in Paris and then came on" London to get the pastes he wanted, and also one or two inquiries IS a murder story?" ^ «-ourse, tnis Liessic, trying lo keep her voice steady nere he got into tow with a woman who was then in the height of her notoriety, and was known as • Red Mah ' from the colour of her wonderful hair. She was a mo« extraordinao' woman to look at-a sort of crolbetZ, ones notion, of an enchantress, a devil, Jd anlTlT Bu she wa. a wonderfully clever woman; and "he m«; that came her way never got free without payUagtorTv -■nd I should think more men were in love wUh h«t fwJ "ffi" ■^very close, Mr. Malcolm. Do vou think you could give me a glass of water' iZll walked too fast in coming here." ^ re Id c- i, S o rl The Story of Red Delilah ttessie spoke with great eflFort, 121 Miss Zri,^" r'™. '°'' '"""^ " ^o" «"«•■' ^'«»>g. M.SS Mernon. Can t you run down into the country Z;::J! "^^^^ ^ heaUh^ sea air would do the worW minm? *"l"hfi' ^'!" ^'" """'•" ''" ='"'«'"'<1. after a and perhai I h, T^°" '"°"' '°^' "'"' «■"' «»«, a.in^^t;on':^r:,:eC-r.o:^ 1 z-x go. mo3. of ,h, „,,„;^, ^^^ _^^^ y I supple ve whaM^d you say was the name of the womant Re^!l >c«i'>'"^ there is no doub. in my mi^d. ho^S ih«t ?"?<>«' dence was clear enough to convict l/nottyX^ X" 122 I ''ii' The Heritage of Peril help of a man— half English, half French, and the rest diabclical— named Colimbert." "I should like to have that name spelt right," said Dessie, interrupting for an instant. " Colimbert— Adolphe Colimbert," he replied, spelling it. " I never saw that man, but from all accounts he must have been a fitting help-meet for such a woman as Red Delilah. I remember a clever description which spoke of him as having the pluck of a d'Artagnan, the beauty of a Byron, the manners of a Bayard, and the morals of an Alsatian bully. Some of you press writers can put things smartly, I know. What part he was to take in the robbery is not clfnr; but one night the unfor- tunate Indian was found by his servant stabbed through the heart. It is supposed that whoever committed the murder— and there is no doubt the woman was in it- had been disturbed. The whole place was in confusion, as if an exhaustive search had been made, and a number of the jewels were put together in readiness for being carried off. The search for the remainder had cost the murderers all, or nearly all, as they had had to fly. The only really valuable thing gone was this Star of the Crescent; and one theory about it was that it had been broken off the Crescent before by the Indian himself, in some dr«nken freak, and given to the woman. But it was never found; and from that minute to this neither Red Delilah nor Colimbert has been seen. That's the mys- tery in a nutshell. Is it any good to you ? " " Yes, indeed. It's even more thrilling than I had ex- pected," said Dessie, forcing a smile on her pale face. " It has interested even me. But what became of the rest of the jewels ? " " Oh, the Government interfered when the truth leaked out. They were packed up and sent back to Rohilkund, The Story of Red Delilah 123 and the people were so indignant there that the Prince died shortly afterwards. Popular indignation is fatal sometimes out there. The three rubies were not sent back, of course. They were never found. A big reward was offered-I think i2,ooo-and afterwards this was increased by the new Prince's people privately, and a promise given that no questions would be asked. I rather fancy, too, that some negotiations were opened once or twice with some individuals, but I expect they were bogus. Those who got hold of the rubies knew how to keep them, or get rid of them safely, how- ever, and it's little will ever be heard of them any more." Dessie rose, thanked her friend, renewed her promise to send a copy of her new book as soon as it came out, and left. She crossed Parliament Street, went through the Horse Guards, and into St. James's Park. There, as soon as she found a retired seat, she sat down to think. The story she had heard would probably change the whole course of her life. "Red Delilah" was the sister to whom the Count de Montalt had referred, and the girl's new and latest fear was that the story which he had told her yesterday was gathered in part at first hand; that he knew from per- sonal contact with her sister-whose proper name was Daphne-some of the facts which he had included in the tale which he had told her. Who was he? Dessie had understood that there had been a secret lover in the background behind all the mad excesses of voluptuous sensuality into which her sister had plunged- but she had never known his name, nor heard a word describing him. Was this man, de Montalt, that lover? -that Adolphe Colimbert, whose name she had had spelt out to her? ' H The Heritage of Peril If so, what would happen ? Dessie herself had up to that moment had no knowl- «ZZ/T7 °f ','" ■='■•»"•''»«» -d" which this didknnw fiu'T u"^ '°"" ^' ■"' ''<^»"'. But what she d,d know filled her now with the grav-st and ugliest M,sp,c,ons, She remembered well enougn how Daphne I ad come suddenly to the little sea village where she and her mother-who was then dying-had hidden them- seves after her father's death, and while her sister was D sfe Z ./" I Tu"' ^"''°" "«• She had told a^lnlon Tthl U r'/ ""'" ^''' '™'""^: '^at she had abandoned the old hfe some months before; that she had been converted and had become a nurse. It vas in a nurse's umform that she had come, with mosTof her msho^ 'd V ^°"™/"«"= of "agnificent hair- cut short and the remamder dyed black. She had ex- P^^ned .t by saying that she had cut it off as pi, of her sel -„„posed penance; and that she had regarded he los o .t as one of the outward signs that shf and her pa hfe were parted for all time. '^ But now as the girl's thoughts travelled back and she looked at the facts by the light of her present knowledge and her greater experience of the world, everything wore a ddferen aspect. It was only too probable that the nurses uniform and the dyed hair were a part of a dfs fh",','t; f "l''"^ °' *' -^""^^"i" was a fable atd" bad fnghtened her sister to lay aside the old Hfe and adopt a quiet and safe one. hjT'/"'.'/'''.'"'' """ '■«■■">«' 'o it. and for years bel fu^'u "''"•^'' '° '" "^ De^^i^ he^elf knew and believed had be«, good and right. But all thislcoverv felt her faith m everything and everybody was shak™ The Story of Red Delilah 125 Hghted cene al/: '''f. '"P^'^ ^^^"^ °"t at the sun- "gmed scene all round her. it seemed as though she had that Vh To'h ; H' ^r" " "^' "■'" '"^ >">""^- girl stren«l, ShJ^^ ^'"^J" ^"ociated the idea of .he ySnge' ^Mp T 'T"'."'^ ^'"^ ""^'■' """^ therefore a, 3 =, f ""' 'f ""' ■'^'"' """^ers sake, hear,, thVo"" e hJT!^' "'"""P""^^ °' "" "«•" through .headdrts of. htsafcr""' "'"■ "" ^'^'"' vivid in her mZr^Zll^T"'- ^}'}f "- though, of her sister^ d»ger "'''""''' ""^ *' .ooWnVtr: t™ sf .nTh" "' "'^'-^ ^' - path of reflection. '' "" '"" '^» ^« the Daphne mus, be saved whatever ,he nrice Wha, would ,hat once he? A. i, ^? question, she shuddered as he thought^'f. '""" *' was ,0 fix i,: " Secrecy for secrecv " h A -- "/" ° it possible ,0 pass throu : very mysterious, I know ; but very important all the same. All day yesterday I longed for you ; and now that you are really coming I am not stopping to see you. Don't be angry. You will not when I tell you and explain. A thousand kisses from your most eccentric, D. D. " P. S. — Trust me. I am full of wild desire to see you." It was an incoherent letter; but she had not time to attempt to re-write it; so she dropped it into the letter box, breathing a fervent prayer that after all, the parting was only for a day or so, and that she might yet be able to explain everything. Then she travelled by the Dis- trict Railway to King's Cross, and was soon speeding northward in the express, turning over and over in her mind all the events which in a few days had made up this wild whirl of change in her life; and speculating what would be the outcome of this interview with her sister, whom she had not seen for six years, and whose safety she was now perhaps going to purchase at the cost of both happiness and * ' our. But looming larger in her mind was the thought of her lover; of what he would think of her extraordinary absence; of his love for her and hers for him; of the bar that was thus being built up between them ; and of the great glooming fear that she was to lose him. It was a sad journey in every respect. To all in Edgcumbe Square it was indeed quite unac- countable. " Bolted ! " was the Count's thought ; and he was at first immensely pleased at it, and found many reasons to account for her taking the step. But when he had con- sidered the news more earnestly, and had smoked a cigar over it, his shrewdness put him much nearer to the truth. " She's been finding out more about the jewels," he Tom Cheriton*! Suspicion! 1 29 •afd to himself, *' and has perhaps found out something of the ugly association between them and that red devil of a sUter of hers. I wish I knew what she had dis- covered, and could see the best use to make of it. I shouldn't be surprised if she's gone off to her sister to find out from her what right I have to the jewels, and whether she ought to give them up to me. You never know what these conscientious people will do. That's the worst of them. If it was anybody without a con- science I should know well enough that her first instinct would be to get the sister to clear off out of the way But she won't do that yet, because I haven't shown her that card, and that if she doesn't hold her tongue I'll ju« hand the sister over to the police. She may have guessed It, of course, if she's learnt all the facts; but— stay a moment, I have it." He thought intently for a minute and then decided. Sendmg a message to Mrs. Markham that he had forgot- ten an important matter and would return in an hour's time, he left the house, jumped into a cab. and told the man to drive him to Sir Edmund Landale's. " I have news for you," he said to the baronet ; " most important and urgent. Things are quickening to a crisis. Miss Merrion and I have had a desperate quarrel-about you. I was endeavouring to further your wishes, and the result is that she has changed round-you know the fickleness of a woman— and vows there is no villainy I would not commit, and only a few I have not committed " He laughed pleasantly. " That comes of her associating me with you, I suppose. Anyway, that I am wishing to marry Mrs. Markham for her money, and am an un- scrupulous fortune-hunter, was the smallest charge she had against me. and about the pleasantest compliment she could pay me. Heigho I girls are hard to deal with " 130 The Heritage of Peril i-f' ''^ When was this? " asked the baronet. "Only yesterday, after I saw you; and I have come, therefore, to tell you in all candour and fairness that, directly and personally, I can not only be no help to you, but that if you want to avoid provoking her distrust com- pletely, while she remains in her present cantankerous temper, you had better not let her dream that you and I have even seen each other." " But you say the quarrel was because you were tryine to help my interests?" " What else should I say, if I am to speak the truth? " he answered, sharply, irritated at having been caught in so glaring an inconsistency. " I was urging her to have no more to do with this Cheriton. But what is it to me whom she marries? Do you think if I had not had your cause in my thoughts I should have bothered to in- terfere? Not I. But I have brought on myself a deadly quarrel with the one woman for whom my fu- ture wife really cares. I wish I had never heard a word of your story or seen you; and she had married this stohd barrister of hers." He assumed the appear- ance of so much anger and implied so strongly that the fault lay with the baronet that the latter was a little nervous. "I u c ^"^ ^°'Z\ ^^ ^^^"' "^^"^ *^^ Co"nt interrupted. Sorry! What the is the good of your sorrow? It won t mend my quarrel with my future wife's dearest fnend. wiU ,t? Or stop all the infernal unpleasantness and trouble and tears, and all the rest of it ? If it would Id be sorry with you. Sorry, indeed!" with an em- phasis of contempt on the word. He took out a cigarette and lighted it with a sugges- tion of viciousness in the action-as though venting his anger upon it. The baronet was a nervous man with Tom Chcriton's Suspicions 1 3 1 other men, and watched ' „„ rather abashed by his Dlustrous energy and temper. " Excuse my manner," said the Count at length. He had been keenly watching the effect of his words on the other and wished to master him. " I am the devil him- self when I m roused-and this thing has shaken me up deucedly. But don't think I mean going back on my word to you yesterday. If I could have seen what would happen I wouldn't have promised my help, I admit But once given, I keep my word, come what may. This girl has chosen to quarrel with me. So be it. She must take the consequences. She'll repent, not I. And it's because T mean her to that I'm here now. She's bolted from Lon- don •'Bolted!" exclaimed the other, as much astonished as de Montalt mtended him to be. " mat do you mean > Where ? K.il^'"!'"'!:" 'f^^^^^ *^^ °*^""- "M'"^' I don't mean bolted to her lover; but actually bolted from him. Lis- ten, he said, and then thinking he had reduced Lan- dale to a condition of confusion, he told him his plan. You k-now that ugly tale about her past; and you know there was a sister with a very shaky history. Well things seem to be worse in that quarter than she thought-I let out some truths indeed which I had much better have kept to myself-and my opinion is she's bolted down to the sister to find out all the truth for herself. Now. mark this: You want to have a hold on her. The secret of that sisters past will give you what you want. I'll tell It some day. but not now-and if you want to gain the end you have in view you can do it " He stopped and glanced keenly at his companion, whose face wore a puzzled, undecided, hesitating expres^ 132 i < 1: ■I r; >U .;:i The Heritage of Peril " What do you want me to do? " he asked at length. I don't want you to do anything," was the answer, with vicious emphasis on the word. " Do you want to marry Miss Merrion-or to have her in your power? Or would you rather see her in another man's arms? That's the question." " You know the answer to it," replied Landale with the quickness of jealousy. ^' Then I'll tell you how to do it. Go down to Mid- dlesbridge by the first train that starts from King's Cross ; find out where Nurse Morland, of the Middle Riding Infirmary, lives, and watch her every movement. Nurse Morland is Daphne Marlow, and her sister has gone down, either to get her out of the way, or to induce her to take some step which may help to shake oflF the power which anyone can exercise over Dorothy Marlow, who knows where a hand can be laid on Daphne's shoulder. Be down there by accident. Know nothing whatever. If you meet Miss Merrion, don't let her have a thought that It is not accidental. But don't let the other escape- and mmd, she's artful enough to be the devil's wife. Lastly, don't let a syllable escape you to suggest that you have ever heard of me." The baronet put a number of questions, which the other man either answered or fenced with as he thought best giving any reply that suited his purpose, without the least regard to its truth; and in the end Sir Edmund, though profoundly disliking the task, consented to go "Why not have her watched in the ordinary way? There are thousands of men who do this sort of thine cheap enough-and much better than I possibly can" he protested half a dozen times. ' "For the simple reason that it isn't safe to let a sinrfe soul but you and me have a suspicion that she is not what Tom Cheriton's Suspicions 133 she says-Nurse Morland. This is necessary for her sister's sake. The least suspicion in an outsider's knowl- edge, and our hold would be gone for good." This consideration prevailed in the endj and all was settled when the Count drove back to Edgcumbe Square, chuckling to himself at the adroit use he had made of the baronet. He found Mrs. Markham very curious as to the errand on which he had been away, and he pacified her with a tale that he had ordered some flowers to be sent to her and had forgotten to call as arranged to decide a point in regard to their selection. " You were not with me, child, and I thought I could not better fill in the time than by doing something to please you." * " We could have called together about them," said the widow, who was sorry to have missed an opportunity of shopping in the company of her handsome lover. True, but I wanted them to be a surprise. And now you have got everything out of me. When you ask me anything, Dora, out must come the whole truth, whether the thing be grave or trivial. You have spoilt my little plot altogether," he said, smiling, and kissing her. She believed him implicitly, of course, and was flattered at the little attention which the imaginary act implied. I can't help wondering where on earth that child Dessie has got to," she said, after a pause. " It's such an extraordinary thing to have done." "She is a woman journalist, Dora. There is an ex- planation of any amount of eccentricity in that " "Not in the least. She's the most level-headed little soul on the face of the earth-at least she used to be." bhe made the qualification, remembering the giri's unac- countable dislike of de Montalt '34 The Heritage of Peril " Then in that case, why not accept her explanation? She implies she has gone away on business." " But she doesn't say where. Besides, she's been so peculiar the last few days— ever since we came to town. I don't understand her a bit," and she frowned and shook her head in perplexity. The subject did not interest her lover just then. He had for his part exhausted the possibilities of the girl's action, had taken such precautions as he could to guard against its interfering with his plans; and thus Mrs. Markham's vapid speculations bored him. There was another subject he had much nearer at heart; the date for their marriage, and he had resolved to press this forward now with all reasonable speed. He approached the subject again now, taking it up where he had left it on the previous night; and after say- ing that he had had letters which would necessitate his leaving England for a time very shortly, suggested that he would let her decide whether the marriage should take place before his departure or after his return. The widow on her side was all eagerness, and they were in close consultation when Tom Cheriton was shown in. He glanced round the room in evident disappointment at not seeing Dessie there, and his first question was for her. "It is most unaccountable, Mr. Cheriton," said Mrs. Markham. " But first let me make you two gentlemen loiown to one another," and she introduced them. The impression which each formed of the other was exceed- ingly unfavourable. "A scoundrel," was Cheriton 's inward verdict. "A bulldog," was the other man's thought, while both mur- mured a word or two of civility. Tom Cheriton's Suspicions 135 "There is a telegram for you, Mr. Cheriton," said Mrs. Markham, handing it to him. " We've no doubt it's from Dessie." He tore it open quickly, and a glance told him the contents. " Strange," he said thoughtfully. " She brought me up on purpose to see her. Do you know anything of this, sir ? " he asked de Montalt, abruptly with a sharp keen glance. " I ? Certainly not. How is that possible? " " Anything is possible, as an Old Bailey practice soon teaches you," returned Cheriton, brusquely. "What is your opinion of her sudden step, Mrs. Markham? You know her well." " I can't understand it at all," was the reply. Mrs. Markham was nettled at Cheriton's tone toward her lover. " She tells me in a telegram that it's a sudden commission of work. But I'm bound to say I can't think that's all. She's been very peculiar all the time she's been here." " Peculiar ? " echoed Cheriton, pricking up his ears. " In what way do you mean peculiar? " " Out of sorts. You know what I mean. Not like herself. Dull, low spirited. I thought she was ill. I found her looking vei^ faint and ill once. You remem- ber — yesterday, Godefroi i' " " She explained that was due to Mr. Cheriton's ab- sence," said the Count, not liking Cheritcoi's manner at all. " Dull, low-spirited, and not like herself. I suppose that wasn't the welcome she gave when she first met you, Mrs. Markham ? " he asked, in his persuasive cross-exam- ining smile and manner. "Oh, no/' replied the widow. "That's the curious part. She seemed all right then. It was not till that evening or the next day that I noticed the change." (ft 136 The Heritage of Peril "She was all right, Mrs. Markham; for I saw her an hour or two before she came to you. and she was al- together m her usual spirits." He paused, and then wheehng round on de Montalt, he repeated his question. And arc you quite sure still that you know nothing at all of the cause of this absence, sir? " " I have replied once. I am not accustomed to be ques- tioned m tins way. I am not responsible for this young lady s eccentricities." tf .t h • ?''''' '"'' " ""'' ^^'' '"^'^ ^^^ - writing o my chambers, and I will go there. I am not at aU sat sfied .and must look into things at once." With that, he left shakmg hands with Mrs. Markham and bowing very stiffly to her companion. ^ CHAPTER XIII AN IMPORTANT INTERVIEW When Dessie reached Middlesbridge she was a little at a loss to know how best to get to see her sister. She did not know whether the nurses lived in the Infirman% or even whether her sister was on the regular staff. There had been no communication between them for a long time past, and the last letter had only stated the fact baldly that Daphne was going to join the nursing staff of the Infirmary. Middlesbridge was a dirty industrial town, the centre of the Northern iron trade, with a dirty river, along the southern bank of which lay the chief works, which kept the Infirmary well stocked with bad " smashes " — as ac- cidents to the workers were called — and gave the hospi- tal quite a reputation as a place where varied and con- stant practice in surgery could be gained. But Kurse Morland had gone to it for reasons alto- gether unconnected with nursing experience. It lay off the highway of the world, and only the barest handful of the sixty or seventy thousand of useful human beings who peopled the hive knew anything of life outside it. It was a safer refuge than a desert. Dessie found her way on foot to the Infirmary, and was going to call and ask for her sister when it occurred to her that she had better send her a letter to prepare her for the visit. A sudden meeting, if a stranger chanced «37 »38 The Heritage of Peril tfe « Z J^T*- "'«'" "" '-""• «»« "ord or rig„ which n..|h, lead to embarrassing consequences. ^ She turned back, therefore, and entering a shop wrote a very bnef me saying that «, extraordtaary ntd ted ans«, compelHng her to come to Middlesbrire «,d ^ was to send word by the bearer. She got a boy to take the note and wait for an answer and she watched him as he went ZthT "".^'"^f '' carria^e-driv*. th^* - / "P *"^ semicircular Call here in an hour." sole pla«'totu;rit''' 11: f. •»" ^^ •" «"« .o find'ou. ho^tte he eouldtv^t *: ^0"".^"^ interview with her sister wouldt oVe, n ,i„^, ^ ^ leave and travel bv niirht .Zau • ' "" '" '" ''" .he train times she wT^ .o*e«^ "'^'^'' "°" °' She felt faint and we^l Z7 «'' """"hmg to eat. hSo^ or:r,^r jr ' "^v* «>« inquiries as to » ho'el ' ""' """ ""<'* «"« .o^{rr4;t^d-txiof^rMtsr woman, receiv^ her anrfl T' ^•""'■'«>Wng, little Shrewdly jlZl^^^:,^ pMt^ "' '^"^^""^ business. "squeiy put to ascertain her paS%heXatr sHr "^nr-"- Of antagonism until her qu^tione: ret^^orrtr r !» An Impoitant Interview «39 J^i^? ""• ^°" ''"''"'■" ">« »»'<1. shaking her head T^T'"f. "' *°"8'' "•' f«« >^»s very suspicL, " »d I th.nk well enough of her to wUh to keep h^° ' .«,» lassie, smilmg at the matron's manner " It i« ™ny years smce I saw Nurse Morland. We are ve,^ M fnends; and it occurred to me to come and s«he7 all unexpectedly." ^ "*'» qu^k'^anrsZ'fr^'T ''"'"'' """'" *' '«»"• A sr^irpi- g oTher'h^r- ^~^ - --"■• you come wlt^ .^e To^^r^retlt^r ■"''• ^"' excuse vou " Th-,- ""« room? The matron will i« «er/°yiublltd TA' ' ""''i "'' "' ™^'"'"' '»'« the two^sSenT lefrtl ' '"'' *'"""" ^°*er word common^Cis'' *;S '°^"^ """"""""^ -'>■ met for Lme time Th^^tt^o^lr' "''° "f ""* of a long corrido;. in wS tlZ" '^: tl'"'' She shut and locked the door carefully. ' here:'and':er.oCln1rplat -^f ^ '"' "-"'^^ wag. Speak low. as^o Jb^d^rts o^J It "'"Z *" them to the kevhole- and n.» ! n ^ '^ ™>' ''""e heaven's namethis'su^plsrv- it' trsp'^''""'^' """ '" 140 The Heriuge of Peril I • "I MM Dessie looked at her sister with emotions, in which the old sisterly affection, admiration for her beauty, as con- spicuous as ever now, and astonishment at her present conduct were mingled. " You have not kissed me, Daphne," she said. " You have not come all this way merely to be kissed," answered the elder, with a gesture of impatience and temper. But the words had scarcely left her lips be- fore she threw her arms round Dessie and embraced her with vehement energy, twining her strong arms round the girl and pressing hot, fierce kisses on her cheeks and lips. Dessie was almost frightened at this tempestuous change; but the love in her own heart was roused, and on her side she answered the caresses with fervent warmth. And in this way some time was passed, the two sisters locked in each other's arms, and speaking scarcely a word. At length the elder broke away and sat down on the bed opposite that on which Dessie sat, and held the girl's two hands in her own. " What lamentable weakness," she cried, impetuously. ** And yet how sweet to be weak sometimes, and not al- ways to lock away, as in an iron chest, every natural desire, prompting, and thought, and be for ever playing a part. Daphne Marlow had better never have been bom than to be for ever nothing but Nurse Morland." Dessie sat watching her sister as she spoke, thinking what a magnificent and altogether strange v/oman she had become. Daphne was tall for a woman, with an exquisitely proportioned figure, the strength and sup- pleness of which had been well developed by her calling. But it was her face and head that compelled attention. The features were all regular and in perfect harmony with the shape of the face which tapered from a broad An Important Interview 141 and rather high brow to the chin. Everything suggested force, thought, and self-reliance. The colouring too was as remarkable as the pose of the head was beautiful.' The flesh was white, with the clear, deep whiteness of alabaster, and the striking pallor was relieved by lips of a rich red lustrous eyes and heavy brows and lashes all of a deep blackness. Above this remarkable face was a wealth of hair, pure red gold in hue, of extraordinary fineness and quite wonderful profusion. She had lon^ since ceased to dye it. and had allowed it to grow again Even gathered up under the sober cap of the nurse? the hair suggested that crown of woman's glory which the hair IS to certain women. It was fier hair that she had cut away in the old days, as the outward symbol of her severance from that world in which she had played so conspicuous a part to achieve only such a dazzling fall. Daphne's experienced eyes were also reading the state of her sisters mind as reflected in her face, where she saw the evidence of trouble or illness. "You're not as strong as you used to be, Dorothy," tVer tmtk" ''' ^' ''' "^^ ''^'^ ^^^^^'^ ^ ^- tvTJ, ^T ""'" ?°"^^ ^"^- ^ ^^^ * ^^ attack of typhu fever a few months ago. and have had a little difficulty ,n getting back my strength. It is not my body that is suffenng. There is trouble " th'lf^l TT ^""^ '^°"'^"'* '°"^^ ^^thout a cause of tha kmd I presume." was the impetuous, half-angry you. or do you come to disturb me? " The paroxysm of affection had entirely passed from her. She loosed her sisters hand, and sat with a half-aggressive, half-an- tagonistic air. 142 The Heritage of Peril I I ■f "1 have come on what may prove to be a very sad errand," began Dessie, and her sister interrupted her with a short, half-satirical laugh. " That's how goody-goody people always begin when thry have something particularly unpleasant to say or do. Look here," she continued, with a quick change of tone, speaking with voluble energy. " Hear this. For six years or seven years you have never troubled your- self to come near me. I have lived a puritanical existence that any saint might be proud of. Not a soul has a suspicion that my heart is not bursting with charity and love for the noble calling which this betokens "—touch- ing her uniform—" not a soul believes that I do not re- gard it as my mission from God— a mission to minister to the sick— ugh. Wait a minute ; let me finish. I am content; or, at least, so far content that I haven't laid hands on my own life. And what is more, I see relief opening out ahead of me. I am going to be married. Do you understand? To marry a man who is in love with my face and figure; my beautiful body; and with the saintly mind that inspires the nurse's calling! He is a good man, and I love him, too, in a way. Now, mark me, if a word that you have to say will interfere with that prospect, don't utter it. Go away ; leave it un- said. Go and forget me; put me out of your thoughts again. Pack the memory of me away on the shelf in your mind, where you store the ugly things you never want to think of again. But don't venture to say, or even to think, a word that is in the least likely to come between me and my purpose. I won't endure it. I won't." She spoke almost fiercely at the close, and what she said made Dessie so thoughtful that she scarce knew how to begin. "Ah, I'm glad I warned you in time," said Daphne, An Important Interview '43 •«a«n. seeing her sister pause. " I mea^ it. Every word flwavsln ' iu '' ""'""8 "/'• ">e desire for which bum, always in me like an unslakable fire." Dessl "ui:.,";' '"* ^""■"'' "' » «-« woman,. „id " Perhaps not ; but it is the resolve of a determined one I am only warning you. You have come to ^ no. T.o sev^ years LnK '"°"«^' ^ '<"°«". '■"• have sirvert J """ """^ '" "'" "^-^hel as I anTth™,.^ evemhinT'^'''''''^^ t"" ""^ ^^ -"« aword.oawprti.?e--,S;^^^^^^^^^^ take the risk of your silenr«> nv h^n^cH. i ii f- a fool, ^radi^^'o he iTh'a" T ^t w«0^„.readmill of this duU, dreary, so'^did'trt^"?; sa^nVXt 1 itniT fr z ■■!: '^z r-."' ?rL:'"* ' """-^ -•av:„oT^om:rr„a^;Tj from akmg any course you believe best for you I am compelled to reopen the past, however, and I am a raW M»^ r must hurt you. Tell me first, do you know his cJSLTr"' °"'''"''' '^" f^" °" ""^ •''•'»' »'-« too iiau passed an anxious nic-ht Th^ ««.»,.. • very hard, but the lin^ oL fh r '^P'*^"'^" ^^s now deepened. ^ ***" ^*'*^ '^*^'"^<» to have " A gentleman to do spy's work > " ■o wnom accident has given wealth and a title " «nd .1.- told her ,is.er briefly her forme. reUti™,, w ,h Undat his^con^duc, and the purport of the conver^.!^"^; ^^How mach doe, he know?" „ked Daphne, at the 156 Dcaic's Resolve u '57 " We must I« things go on as they will. I have been th.nk.ng of .t all nigh,, and I wonder the poor trttcH ?" rS' Zl^ T"" "^ -"'-^."ink 1 in airaid I m not such a coward as that. I have P.led up these fli,„stones for a bed, and I won', flS n«. I, IS hard ; damnably hard,"_,he oath was a sudden gu of passion that seemed to shake her violen.ly- I h» 'T "?" *"" '° '""" '" 'his world. Buf if I have o go through with this, and I escape. I'll have the man's life that exposes me " .^y:^"ar:::X'rctLreS''^^^^^^^^ "I wonder-but men are poor things. Yet I've a muid to to- hi,n. I told you yesterday there I a Z^ here who vows that he loves me, that he would go thro^ -bu, there, you know a man's vows, I sup^e. Bu tte W " '5°°^ ""■"' ''"^"'' »"<< f*™"'. and tnte. We were to have been married «»n, bu, now-" ;„„ ?" T '°"'''" ' '"^' "«'"^-<' h™ withou, tell- mg Mm the pas,. Daphne," said her sister, when she "Couldn't? Why not? Do men tell their future wives all the secrets of their past? " Her sneer ended in a sirt be tned for murder, and if tried to be convicted Will you fly the country for my sake and wiU, mer An" 158 The Heritage of Peril 'III ^^^fr'?*'^ ^r 7^« ^^ ^i^ to a whisper of despair — If 1 lose him I care nothing what lies ahead." takable m.sery affected the younger girl till she could ^hoZle more ; Th', ^"" "" '^'^^^ ^^ ^P»-^' wno spoke more decidedly. J^ "^r ^ll" n^^r'^ °"^ *'°""*^ ^'^ y^"' Dorothy." she said. I shall leave you absolutely free to seek your own happiness your own way. I had some thought dur- ing the night of appealing to you to try and Lve me from what has to come. But I will not do that. I cannot nW """ T. V^"''^'' °^ '^^^'- Y°" ^^^^ ^ "pother a pledge hat .f at any time the need arose you would do all that lay in your power to help me. I know you would now hold by that pledge, even if it cost you your hap- p.n«.s. But I will not let you. I won't accept the Z ^n ^.'''"u r' "'"•^^ '^ ungrudgingly; and I want no unwiUmg help. I don't mean that unkindly." she^said. seeing the girl wince, "but I know human Dessie made no attempt to speak J?" ^''l^u"' ^° '^''' ^ ^'^ t° London-you am do no good here. You know all that has to be known. for God s sake be careful of your own safety. He would thmk no more of taking your life than he would of stamp- ing on some venomous thing that threatened him Be prepared for any action on his part, however wild, reck- less, and desperate. He is capable of anything. I warn you-and not a soul on earth knows what he is capable of doing so well as I do. Wait a minute." she said wh^n her sister was going to speak, " I ask only one thing hi r.^*''' '^'r'T ^"" ^''' ^^'^^^ «"<» have set him at defiance. Any form of warning will do; and after Dessie's Resolve 1 59 •■^ ^Lw";,'*'" ""^ '''*""• ' *«PP«'«1 before. »n•" ^"'•'' - -"« .enlf.* ''^", "f" '" ''''"'"8 wi"' ''In.ost painful in- Z'frr """."l"*" ""P'^'' '"e remained long silent, frowning, her brow contracted as jf in pain her |«.gers^^gh.ly in.erlocl.ed, and her body swaying Igh';-; and 'rUinl' '^■^'u^' "If *' '"If*'' "^^^'""^ ^"> ''^avilv, and nsmg. It ,s all a problem wi.h no solu.ion if LTe vou° afvo T^L' "°?"'' '""■ '^-^ "•-" -'1 "" save you as you look at the matter. If I ^,,nve my.elf un It would only make matter, worse. Promise , u' Z thing, she said " IX, nothing rashly. I ,„,,, Z idea .hat may take shape. Do nothing .o„ ,,uMh. • Me. And what hope can any delay give'" WiU, that the two sisters parted,' and an hour later im 1 60 The Heritage of Peril Dessie was ia the train on her way back to London, feel- ing even more baffled than before her visit. Before the interview with her sister there had been the faint hope that some link in the chain that bound her was weak or missing, but her sister's statements and admissions de- stroyed that hope completely; and what the girl had n^w to face was the dilemma in its ugliest, most repulsive, most threatening, and most perplexing form. She had to choose between her friend and her sister. She must either keep silent, and let Mrs. Markham marry a man who was worse than many a wretch who had expiated his crime on the scafTold, or expose her sister to the certainty of a prosecution for murder, aad to the prob- ability of a conviction. To herself and her own share of suffering she paid lit- tle heed. The thought of her sister having to stand in the dock to answer the charge of murder, and having the whole of the lurid facts of her past life brought out one by one in the course of a series of sensational ocam- inations, so filled her imagination that it crowded out for the moment the thought of her own part She became a necessary part of the tragedy, but only a minor part. Her journalistic experience caused her to appnamte to Ihe iPull the sensation which such a cast- would create. She had helped to work up others of the kind in which there was not a tithe of the incident and dramatk detail of this ; and she knew how greedily every littk incident and detail would be seized on and (kes«ed up in readable " copy " for the million. There was material enough in the incidents to sell hundreds of thousands of extra papers. Even her own story— with its extraordinarv- leco^ery of the Rohilkund jewels— would be worked ^ into a .i' ^Ji Dessie's Resolve 161 sen« of sensutions, cich " palpitating with actuality." and making splendid ' copy." It was possibk. too. that Jf her sister with her awful past were charged with mur- der, Dessie herself might l>e charged as in some way an accessory in the theft of the jewels. When once public excitement and rage were excited, there was no knowing what victim would be claimed. Now th## she viewed her own conduct in the light of fttr present mM. she coirfd not hel|, seeing that very few people wwld l^elieve her »f/.r/ of the way in which the rubies had come into her possession. She herself had before now p.^#d sc.mi upon many a more prob- able story ; and she could anticipate vividly the hundred tones of scepticism in which writers would ask where was the mysterious unknown who carried jewels worth a king 5 ran.som m a handbag without knowing anything about It, and then opened an anonymous correspondence to give th< jewels away ! When the whole country would thus be ridiculing and denouncmg her. and she was proclaimed in the face of aOIthe world as the possessor of jewels whose price had been murder, as a liar whose tale was too improbable for even a child to believe, and as the sister of a woman who had only ceased to be a public harlot when she be- came a murderess, what would her lover do-dear brave honest Tom Cheriton ? What could he do? A little glow of exultation warmed the miserable girl's heart as u harboured the thought that he would stand by her. beheve in her, and know her to be true, despite all the worid might .say and think. To her that consola- LTJn .1 l!"°"^^= '"^ ^^' '^"'^ ""'""^^^ ^he pleased herself by thinking of ,t. and picturing the sturdy face and loving eyes of her betrothed standing quietly and firmly l62 The Heritage of Peril i by her side, cheering her with word and glance, and turning to face the whole sneering, gibing, threatening world in her defence. She fe f sure of him; but the test was one which could never be applied. Let come what might. Daphne must never be betrayed. That was the one resolution which must dominate every- thing else. She must be saved at all hazards ; and Dessie did not attempt to hide from herself what this involved for her. First, it meant the separation of her lover and herself. She could not tell him the truth now ; and she would not marry him without telling him. Ewn had she been able to tell him all, she would still have refused to be his wife. She was no fit wife for him. The shadow of some exposure hung over her. At any moment an accident might cut the thread by which the sword hung over her head, and it might fall. That was too great a burden to put on any man's love, too great a risk to thrust into his life. She loved Tom well enough to sacrifice herself to him; and too much to sacrifice him to 1. rself. When she had settled those two points— had fixed the main basis of her decision that her sister must be saved ; and had faced the necessity to give up her lover— she was calmer and easily decided upon other points. She would make the best terms possible with the Count ; if possfble to get him to abandon the marriage by giving him the jewels. If he would not forego the marriage she must devote her life to watching over the safety of her friend. When the train ueached Grantham her plans had suffi- ciently cleared for her to send a telegram to Mrs. Mark- ham, saying that she would be back at her house that afternoon. Her intention was to go to South Kensington ! Dcssic's Resolve ii 163 IZu u"""^ ''"'* *° ^'' °^ '«>'»''. to satisfy herself whrther her rooms had really been visited by the Co^ t ui the manner she had heard from Sir Edmund TandaT She was a brave, staunch little soul, but as she sTlo^k she fd woefully forlorn., and weak and miserable As Lseo Zr '""" '" ^"' ^"^^'^ <^— d o he sense of depression mcreased ; and as the train was steam- ing under the series of short tunnds that covrthTune c ose to the terminus, the thought occurred to h r tha Hn all the millions of hearts in fh*> hicr .u gl««y and heavy .ar,i:^n'h:r':f„r' "°"' "" ""'" I suppose I shall get over it in time," she thought or?„ L ' " r^'' «" •"«■ ""■ '<> P-™l ^rvitude 1;° °T.iT.>^""^' *"«"« i'lness ; but to-day I can t feel that it's possible I shall ever shake off ,h. aw ul ut that see,„s trying to drag ne down And o th,nk ,t could never have happened Tf it had no. been fo that chance exchange of bags that day at BirminchanT mm fools we are to think anything can be a tS" " Wjen the tra.n drew up in the station she jumped out quickly and walked at a brisk oace »I„n„ .l ,^ but she had barely left .hetr^^-T^' ;,t« X= Coum de Montalt, who raised his hat, and gree?^ Jer with his usual overdone politeness " l\ "»' thoughtful of you to let me know that vou from Grantha^ T ?l '"'" *'''«'^"'' ^^Patched trom Urantham, I guesse:.r.re Dessie said nothing, and the man's heart ached as he *aw that she was suffering keenly. ^ ^^ 170 Tom Chcriton Intervenes 171 ^^ " What is the matter. Dessie? " he said, after a pause 1 can t tell you anvthincr Tn«, »• u me If T/i-'i' ;r or r " ^'-^■" " '^^ -" is that you love^e C . 'T "^ °" ""'^ «""• " that to swagger about it I can'. LC' ""' ">''"S and I could no more p"i 1 »„ ^ITv^M""' ^'''■ put an end to life itself- ^d Tj * I ',*"" ' '^""''l harbour a though, of thai Wnd ^^ '"' ' '""""' ''" "pn^'^r""',!"'' '" *" '"''^' continued: the ZnZZz'^ri::^)"^ " -■""^ ""» '^- there's only one nossn,U T f "^ °" °"" =l«ves_ follows, thenaL ta h :r.t "ri"'"'"" V™^'- " slightest shadow of a doubt fhl? ?""°' ''*« "•< think best. Yolare maktal I hi T "'• ""'"^ "'''« ^°" You'll con,e to seeZ S:"''"L"'r''r' 'T' at her with a smil^ nf .u ■ ^' ^^"^^^ ^° &'ance P..end „„ ever shake my 0^^^ i/ ^^ VoTf^I dtt her'^: :XIlaT™" '"'^ "^ --'"^ '" You don't understand, Tom " saM ti,« • i ». her lover aoDear^^H ri«f»^ • j *"^ Sf''"'' when " Z 1^ Z de emiined to wait till she did answer thatTs R^7 '^'' '^ ^^^""^^^ P^^-^P^'y- " Not y t ierVLt t^pro^eT ^"n'^th" ^" ^"^^^ ^^^ ^^" ^^^ fciowin, thirrrou't xTnd""r^^ ^'' "°r^ clues, already." ^^ ^ "" "^* ^'t^out i f; i M<\ 172 The Heritage of Peril I ' i i (f {'? I: "You must promise me to make no inquiries," said Dessie. ^' I shall promise nothing of the kind. Listen, Dessie. You have promised to be my wife. Up to two or three days ago there was not a cloud between us. Not a thought we did not share." "That is not right, Tom," interposed Dessie. Her lover's protested intention to find out what had hap- pened appealed to her fears, and roused her. "There must be an end to all secrecy — " " A beginning, you mean," he interpolated. " An end," she repeated quietly. " There has always been a secret between us. There was always something I had to tell you which all the same remained untold. Something connected with myself— my past life." " Was it anything you meant to keep me ignorant of if we married, Dessie? " he asked quietly. " But there, why ask a thing like that? Do I believe you are a girl who would give yourself to a man when you thought there was anything in your life that rende.-ed you un- worthy, even in your own opinion ? Psh ! Do I believe the sun goes round the earth? Or that the Lord Chan- cellor is necessarily the best lawyer in the country? Or any other obvious fallacy? " "You have never believed I could treat you in this way: Break my faith and my word without a word of explanation. And yet I'm doing it." " Precisely ; and the fact only shows me how strong you beReve the necessity to be. But it doesn't prove you unfaitfilful to me," answered Tom, imperturbably. " Per- haps you'll ask me next to believe you've ceased to love me. No, no, Dessie. I'm not going to let you cheat me in this way. I'll just make it clear to you, however, what I really feel and believe." l\ I Tom Cheriton Intervenes 'Ton, t • '7^ see no necessity at all List™ , t^' "' P'"^' ' say about the secret ihatvlu 1 ""• '^'P'" »" J"" haven't ye. told, you and ^ wTe ^^1^ /°. '^"' "•" days ago, of beine married wt «pecta.ion, three •he .hough., which ZTl^;. "" '^"''' ■•"' «-'"> Markham ^as .tlHob^tartld b 'r'''''^' ""' ^"■ us had .he remotest idea that amthb'"' u' r*""" °' part us in any way but 0^=1 "*' , "« ""W happen to " It can do no gj^' ""^It ""' '"' ""'• ""'^ "«? " " Very well then k'« 1 r^' ""' °' ""». Tom." .hat whatever h,?i 'i' t /^ '^'l"''" ^'«' ""swer or not. since then. It is no h„' "^'"^^ "''' "^^ "appened and it follows ! mt 17070^"^ '" * ^'^' "'^' happened in the meantime thlp "ok '^''"•, ™'" '''^ thing of consequence is Mr. M , ,. r°'"'>'' 'h« "niy " Don't carrv thk . ™"\ '^"kham's return." were the same as ever !*!! . '""^ '*"' 'hat you noticed the change afte^al'""^* ■""' "■" '"« 'he de Mental, had mef TJl^!rf. Z"" ^"^ ""^ ^ount at Uie Start. Now one „^ r "''"''' ""^"^ 'o look p-s: Is there ::'.rgr::ter "^" '^^' ' '"-' I. Trim A II T . No, Tom. All I ask me on that head ! you IS that if you really care M » 74 The Heritage of Peril for me you will not make any inquiry at all. Leave things where they are. Nothing can alter them." " That I cannot consent to do for both our sakes, child. I would rather you told me everything freely and left me to judge; but if you cannot— and you may in some way have been forced and bound to secrecy— -I shall be the last to press you. But I must find it out, even if I take that scoundrel by the throat and wring the truth out of hinL And I'm capable of doing that in the last resort." Dessie shook her head slowly, and lifting her hands let them fall with a gesture of despondency. " It can do no good, Tom. not the least. If you wrung everything out of him it woqld only show you what this bar between us is, and how hopeless." His knowledge of her was so shrewd that he could not but he impressed by her stolid insistence upon this ; but he was vexed with himself at the same time for his inability to resist the feeling. Till this moment he had not gone very close to her side, but now he moved very quickly to her, and before she could resist his arm was round her waist, her hand fast clasped in his and her face close to his, while fie spoke rapidly and with passion. " Dessie, you must not cast me away like this. You haven't thought what you are doing. You haven't thought what it really is and all that it means to us both. You give me no word of reason or ground, but merely 'We must part. There is a bar which makes our mar- riage impossible.' That must not be. Do this. Marry me at once. I'll take you on trust, sweetheart, with all the barriers and everything else. If you don't love me tfiere is no such thing as love anywhere. If you're not as genuine and true a little woman as ever breathed there is no genuineness in woman. Come, dearest, kiss me and say yes." Tom Cheriton Intervenes '75 be the I«t. """"•' ""• "'""■eh it «hoald •net last I have discovered a\^^^ t,*? T "" before Which ™.es it i^p^sX'^J * T ^^ you. I am not fit to be vour wi/- » cu . . ,^^ -da s.„w.y and faUerin^rra:;^.^^ ^ held' ""' Chentc™ took his arm from her waist and pLictaeboth hands on h«r shoulders held her so that thdr S^^ Hryr 'j:;d,ri f "■"? "°' *•"•' "»""«" ^^ "e gazed kmdly and gravely into her eves anH ♦!,-, shakmg his head he said geniiy and w"h??;i ,"' *" ,„1H V°',"" *"• "™ '<"« ''™ l^own y™ you've Md me what I can't believe. • Not fit to be 2 wL' My dear, that is not true-and don't ever say i,"Lta t Listen ZZ't ^,otZ IZ V ""' '"'"^■ I aon't give you up^De« f rZ't Id™'.™" "T you think the bar is-and I don't Zn , i ^ " "'"' ^. think what you do at^ulT Tu Tr 7^; tl' body. b„, ,n ,h,s fight you're overweighted. Thirmanl ^ngmen me. And Im gomg straight off now to see yol ^dota. "^TL '"''''' '""'*• "^»" <'°"'' '<"<"' what dob^Ueve mftb •"' ^""^ """' '" "'° "'■at is best : but ao believe me this is impossible. You can onlv do harm Please, please don't „r. ,„ w.~ •■ °"'^ """ "»""• i t go to him. I i ' 76 The Heritage of Peril "My dear child, anyone who plays on a woman's fears in the way this fellow is doing is a scoundrel to be faced by a man whom he can't bully, and not by a woman whom he can. T " ^T. ^ ''*.y^ '^°"^ *'"' voluntarily. If I could alter it, I would not. " Which only shows me his hold over you is all the stronger. But a thousand words won't move me from his purpose child. I should be a craven fool if I refused to follow where my love, my instinct, and my judgment sdl point. Do you think I don't hold you worth a fight? Don t be too downcast. Dessie. This will turn out much less terrible than you think when I face it-and face it I will at once. Good-bye; you may kiss me. We're still just as much engaged as ever; and our marriage will scarcely be delayed an hour in consequence of it." The girl kissed him. and his resolute confidence had some little eflFect in easing her mind; but she answered: It s no use. Nothing can do any good." Her tone was not so gloomy, however, and her lover noticed this with pleasure as he went out of the room with a smile and a cheery look. But his face gloomed and he frowned m deep perplexity before he reached the bottom of the stairs, so that the housekeeper who saw him leave the house thought he and Dessie had quarrelled. As he walked away he was very troubled and anxious at all that had passed, but quite clear as to his first step. He would see the Count de Montalt. or whoever he was and try to get from him a clue to the mystery He had first to go to his chambers. His uncle was no better, and Tom had felt great reluctance about staying m London the previous night. Telegrams were to be sent to him that day reporting progress, however, and his Tom Cheriton Intervenei 177 .tar„T„H""1 '"r*""" " "^ '«"' ""«<' '•"ring hi, ^:-^utz^'' "" '"*'' *«"•« - <-" - Md taken It „as clear that in some way this ,1^ Monialt De s^'tt ZZ T^. r" """"'"'""^ ■"«"™« ° " ria«> Wh« '^ K "" "" '• '" •'"'«"' "■"■• '»"- wh«h.rn.« ""h ""'J i< matter ,o that man TouTd noPt^! ""' ";""'•' "' "<" • """^ » '°"e time he could not get away from that thought and ifv n„ in genrnty could he suggest an answer to he que L ° Who was the n,an? There were several ways of at «mpt,ng ,0 find out a man's antecedents and Z career but m th,s case the task seemed the more difficult btaule at« him th t "?'"« '° ^° »"■ «^ Xnew no mo teh hart 1-T ?*' "".""'^ ''™^<^" "■« Count de Mon- V«ev anrt*^ "" ""• ""^''™ "-^-eh George n^to^ """• '° "'"'' ""• V-y h'-self knel He was turning these considerations over and over in m o°nf ::;'} "" ^'' '° '°""' -^^-gton and cl Id gel to no satisfactory conclusion. He found Mrs. Markham and the Count together and « once explained to the former that he wi heTto hav° a few mmutes- conversation with her companion atne The two men went at once to the library I want to speak to you about Miss Merrion " said Tom, plunging right into the subject. " I haveTust had a long conversation with her. ani I gather fromtte you have some hold over her by which you have induced or compe ,ed her to take a course which'has plunged h'r ■mo great unhappiness, and has caused her to break off h«r engagement to marry me." 178 The Hcritoge of Peril " In what capacity do you come to me ? " asked de Montalt, with a sneer. " Do you wish me to meddle in your love affairs ? " " No, I do not," said Tom, sternly. " And if you can- not speak civilly to me. I shall be glad if you will not speak at all." The other man shrugged his shoulders as a reply. ' I ask you first— what is the nature of this hold you have?" '' Has Miss Merrion told you I have any hold at all? " " Miss MerrJon has not told me a syllable of any kind. You have seemingly closed her lips with your threats. But I am speaking of what I can see for myself." " Then you had better carry your observations farther, and find out the answers to your own questions." " Do you deny that you have put this pressure upon her?" " I neither admit nor deny anything. I simply decline to answer you. I presume Miss Merrion is able to decide for herself; and if she doesn't like you, how can I compel her to marry you ? " " I will put it in this way," said Tom, passing over the msult. "In consequence of what has passed between you and Miss Merrion this change has been brought about. Will you give me any clue to the reasons for it ? " " If I had any I wouldn't give it," was the curt and angry reply. *' Very good," said Tom, firmly. " I have come in the first instance straight to you. I have other steps to take ; and you will not suppose that I intend to let this matter alone until I have plumbed it to the bottom. I am not without means of ascertaining all that lies behind, and my practice as a criminal barrister has taught me to be suspicious of any man who trades on the fears of women Tom Cheriton Intervenes ,7, to compel them to be silent Yo„ „. a ■ . I will know the reason why i *" "^"^ '*f' = '"d vance, and I hold a clue T„ L ™ ^"^ "'" » a-J" whichyou haveUtUeaLtw" f^" "T'' '"" ^'»" P«' " When you conned ^rwkh'' "^ "^ *»y-" you forget yourself"" r-sa^Vr 'T"^ P"«'«- -njpdc. ofVeat,; ^L^ d^J^rt'-hfl"" "i walked toward the door. "'s"'^/' as he rose and " I will come with you," said Tom readilv " m c intention is to exolain v/^«.. , ^^"y- My first duct to Mrs. uTml ^Z r"^ di^ho-ourable con- tour face;" ^n^^t^^'Zt^Z^^T, \'^ " '» -». Merrion wt- Z.-Z^-'JT^^^t I CHAPTER XVII THE count's next MOVE Dessie rose in some surprise not unmingled with alarm and agitation when the two men entered; and she directed a glance of somewhat eager appeal at Cheriton. But though he saw and understood the look, he answered it only by shaking his head and smiling to her. " I am very glad you are here, Dessie, as what I have to say now concerns all who are present— you as well, Mrs. Markham, and I would much rather say it when we are all together." Mrs. Markham was a little perplexed by this opening, and looked toward her lover, who imme- diately went to her side and sat down, with a slight shrug of the shoulders and a lifting of the hands and eyebrows mtended to suggest his complete inability to understand Cheriton's action. "Is anything the matter, Mr. Cheriton?" asked the widow. " Yes, a great deal is the matter, and I want you to help to put things right. You know that Dessie " " Stop, Tom," interrupted the giri. " You know noth- mg can alter things. I have told you so. This can do no good." " My dear giri, I am going my own way in this," he answered. " Have you two quarrelled then ? " cried Mrs. Mark- ham, not without a suspicion of a smile. In her present i8o The Count's Next Move i8i ^ Itot tr' ''''"'' ^^^ ^^- ^^^ -t inter. thing like thar But betT: „ ZZ '' t '' '^'"^ ^"^■ kind of barrier which I thlT '' ^'' '°"^^ ^°"^^ mpn " , • , "^ you— you and that eentle- I regret it/' He aS il ^ . ''" ""^ "°*»S-niuch as under^d'"''"" "" ^^'''^" ^"--O- "I don't "Dessieandlwereiu«rh! "«"™pti„g protest. Cheriton, Uking noTot c Vf . J^^^^ "' "'"'"■" «»"'""''' » cup of tea together InH .. '"'"""P"™- " We had .00.4 fcwartiVoft'; r„^* "'-r- ning she came her*> Vo., », . '"^'^"^ge. That eve- everything was Ju^t the sal att arS"' •'" she was introduced to this gentleman-" ^ ^'"""^ What do you „,ean ? " cried Mrs. Markham. n,omen- H l82 The Heritage of Peril :-■ I tarily alarmed that Tom was going to say something which would show her own love affair to be in jeopardy. " What has that to do with — with the Count de Mon- talt?" " That is precisely whi»t I do not know ; what I want to know. I want you to now ask M. de Montalt whether he can give you any reason for this." " Godefroi ! " asked Mrs. Markham, turning to him. " You had better let Mr. Cheriton say all he wishes to say. If I can help him to a better understanding with Miss Merrion, though I am a comparative stranger, I shall of course be delighted— for your sake." He dropped his voice at the last three words, and pointed them with a glance. " I left London the day after Dessie came here," said Tom Cheriton, "and then I got a letter from Dessie hinting that some kind of trouble was brewing; then another urging me to come back at once; and then a telegram and another lette*- couched in the same urgent terms. I came, of course, and as you know, Dessie was away ; no one knew where or for what. I waited until to-day, and on going to her rooms this aftemocm I found that gentleman there—" " Godefroi ! " exclaimed Mrs. Markham, starting. " There had obviously been a serious conversation be- tween them, and one of the results was that Dessie met me in a condition of some hysterical emotion ; said that all was at an end between us; that she could not give me any reason whatever; that she was bound to silence; but that the separation had nothing to do with any change in her feelings toward me. That man is the cause;" and Tom pointed at the Count, who assumed the demeanour of a somewhat amused but quite uncon- -f i The Count's Next Move 183 earned spectator. " There has been no other possible cause for this change in Dessie " ^ Of the Count, going straight to the one part which seemed to touch her personally, and showing her sus pjcions in her manner. ^ see'S!^'!'^' "u^u '^ ^°" ^^" *^'"'^ ^ »"°"^^"t you will see that I could be nowhere else, if I wished to please you, answered the Count " r t— . i^ ""^ Miss Merrion's ^ount T « '"'"' """"'' "" it erieved ml wu ' J "" ^°" ""' 'foubled; and th^Z^ ,^ ^'" "" "''«^^'" «■"« fro™ her I eccentnc young woman journalist. If not, and there was bad news of any l»'"' "■^' "-^ '-^ You need not have gone in," said the widow. .0 c^ C l^-*!?,***-^. -0 'here was her bag glibTy " ""■ ■" '«""'«'• 'y'"e blithely and "What was the subject of a conversation so enerossin ^"^ ""*«- secrecy does more h^L S ?" '"'"' °' mysterious -e «e„dshrtht™any ^thZtf t'h"" "'r"^' feel quite uncomfortable myself "L r ^ If ™''' "" have no more of it " ' '' ^ '*' '"'P' y™'" asl'tTa:rh:yw"er'g^t?'r'°y="*"='^™p'>y. he^ it^ and with\:r:nf m oTetrTl IT^, "' part of t. Will von lUrc at . , ' ""'^'^ ^Y ix>int blank rLrgent:,^"'^^', ■"" *' ""-«- had anything to do with t^Tause of ,W °l ^ !" "°' he throw any light upon it" " ' ""' "''^"S«? Can ^'^l^Z^T^tL:;^''^" '"' ^°-' '^'•» Cheri. Ho'this^MrMathlr^: -:" -. Wm you her. *""^^^ questioningly to " I see no object to be gained, Mr. Cheriton I cho„M 0% be expressing a doubt of yours whi^h' I t^ Can't you see that we are all drifting out to sea, Tom 1 86 The Heritage of Peril , vl'l -§r • the longer this continues ?" exclaimed Dessie. anxiously It^ you agam and again, nothing can be don"^' ^' f . X I'' *' '"* ^''^^^>^' I tWnk." he answered irri tated by his complete failure " R ,♦ Z , ''^*^«**' »'"" alon*. " m5 . ^^' ^^ ^'^' when they were until I have bottomed this ™ d th^r' "™ ' '"' dent begga, „., ,^, out 'foThi*",*" ™"""« ""•"- ten you all, you would si iZiZ it LTI^^ °"'^ whatever you do you can only add To V- " ""! wr^^^edne.. But we must'^^^r/tttTn?^^ s.fth::^ht •.';'.oth,eTa.ttt',e"'"' V" "^■ The Count's Next Move 187 •urn it to his own advanuee a, LT ',." """ *° Tom Cheriton had Wt the'JSn, htsaT " '"'''' "" ™ough for me. hIH „^. t ^T'"^ """■<' 8°°" I should have res«ted.°^ .'"'■' " ^"^ '■<'■"« Markham qSy" She'*™""'; °' """''" "'O "rs. de Montalfs ^ge; ^u^T '!"","' *' "^~' "^ 'o him again." ^°" ""* "' ' *"' """ ^peak anlT^i.Tnte*;!::"::::'''''' °'-- ^atn. »= I live. But thereT^r^r """[" """■ ''™ »' '»"« cident has distressed ml w^ "'*".«""-«'= whole in- all her fancie~mpers?d°mc!:," "*'" ^^"'''" "•»' cause of insults to mrfrom^ ■""pds are to be made the 'oit. ISopelhavTsor,,," ""'• ' '»>">°' «sed to study thrwhiW r T" ^""1"== '" W' ">» kind." "' *" ""^""^ y<"'«e woman of this She has been mv frimrf " 1 », "Yes, your friend ,nH.t~ , ^" ^"' 1"««y- needs think t ne~ .0 ^ "' "T '"'"* ""'^' insult me, and se" us two hv?^"'' *"'' ''™«''«>' ""d chief. I wi„ n^t havn^-'AnVh?' ",' ""'' '"'' '""■ np and down the Z^' lu w ' ^°' "" '"<> w'*"! nervously all^ if.iC:' "' """"^ ""'^'''-S "im sie'tlrrr: 'szztrr'-i "'* ^- Wed; so between the .wo^tl:'lr^'"i,*r" ='" i li 1 88 i I u^ The Heritage of Peril ^i said of me I have only one aim in life now-to promote your happmess. I want to increase the number ofTour fnends. not take them away; real friends. InZ, stniT" 1 ^P^Y'"^ *° ^''•'^*"' ^"^ '^^ added, as if wmtt / r'''" *'°"^''' "' *^» y^" ^hat I think will be best. Let us put off our marriage. Nay. per- haps better, end the engagement altogether; I_l" Godefro. f cried Mrs. Markham. in alarmed protest, getting up to go to him. pruiw, thZldHir"".-'- i*^;"^»^«*- You can then satisfy these meddling friends of yours. What does it matter to us ? We love each other. We can wait six months, a year, two years, any time-while they are satisfying the„,selves that I am not an ogre-or at least no S an outrageous scoundrel as your barrister-friend insinu- ated^ju^st now. By heavens. I will not have that thought " He is no friend of mine," cried the widow, her fears growing. " He is nothing to me-less thl^ nofh^I What do I care for his opin'ion? I wilfn^vt^seTh m^^^^ speak to him again." "That may be. but there are others. I understand this I see what it means." He spoke, angrily and gesticuUted impatiently. "I have ey« a^d wlsof my Tv".. ^an/ee the insinuations that these people cast- this Miss Mernon among the rest. They think-but dn thint M If rV^°^ ^^^* ^"^"^^ o^ the kind do think. Morbleu! Do you think I can bear that I who love you with all my heart; and who would fifty thousand ti.mes rather that you were a beggar like them selves, that I might shew my love. No. D^; Itve Jou" With all my heart and my soul. Had we met years ago i The Count's Next Move , 89 our lives would have been one lone oath of !,.« • with all the pn)tL«.'». «•.'"'" *''P''"P' »"<< on. in the world 8*011/," T "■' ™"'"» ""' n" « he did „o. 'r^:::;Tz'z^z:!:7-" "■" .irr.;rr.H:reL" o^';rt jr -- should take place that day week and tIL n ""'rT be asked to go home ' ** ^""^ '^°"'^ «.^nr.h:''^3:rr"re r '""t ^'"' "- ^'^ made Mrs MarH„T- •. IT ''"' "'* "^^ '°ver had pleasant. ""' ''^'' '"^"n««" was not " You've been a long time with Mr n,- * r. considering that as vo« Tv i • Chenton, Dessie. you." ' ^°" '^>'' ^" '^ at an end between you. ment at her fn^d's ,™e mT, "' ™"'™'»^ '^^-h- " T »,/^^ ? ^ "ave been upstairs " " I should be ™iy tllL^ ""T""^ '°' "''y""'' I should no. brS Chtn 17" '\°°'^' '" ^ "'"<'• mere fun of the thC" X '■*?'' "''' '"' '" ">» sen. the widows Zner *"'""'"'' "^^^^'-^ '° '- At that moment the Count rnc« rr ». sto™, and had no wrt'o^erfe": lit ""' "^^ « 90 The Heritage of Peril I,u'?°"? f ' .^''~''" "»d ^r^' laying a hand on hi« arm to deuin him, and looking unusually determined. He wt down again to listen. " I want to say something to Dessie while you are here. For some reason or other She has set herself against you. and we have had more than one talk about it. I want her now to know, while we are all together, that I take her prejudice against you as hos ,le to myself, and as something particularly dis- tasteful. Do you understand me. Dessie.?" she asked, turning to her. ^' I can scarcely fail to understand what that means, " Well, when I tell you that we have determined to be married this day week " unea^ *°°"' " ^'^^^^''^^^ ^^e girl, starting, and looking J Yes, so soon. Have you any objection ? " asked Mrs. Markham, with a look of sarcasm. " You are very pe- cu^iar, Dessie, very peculiar indeed about my marriagi. One would suppose I don't know what~to hear and see you. It IS very unfortunate that we have this difference. IZ2\ Z ll'^T ^ '""'^ ^°^ ^"«»d« that I thought ,t would be the greatest pleasure in the world for us to be together at such a time; but you act in such a singular way that " iJi'tV'^^'^!!^'t "' '^' ^°""* ^' M°"t^Jt' on whose face, half averted, she seemed to see a smile of mocking triumph under the forced expression of indifference, and then a sharp glance at her friend showed her that the atter was flushed with irritation, but so far nervous as 1 Sif . ?u ""''' '"'"^ P"«^"^ ^°™« compulsion on herself to take a step she did not like 'j I understand you now, Dora, at any "rate," said the girl. You are being hurried, whether you know it or J "I s I The Count'i Next More 191 not, into this marria^* »t,M ^ ^ * . «... you „d rTh^lfi."'^."^' f« .•""««»«« » without any further words " ' ' *°' '"'' <■«»'• And thm she y,Z o^t L ^ k ^' '« '• ^ "'o"'-" .He;n,pr„.„„ thaTlh^h' J^ fhet t X^"' *"" It was hard that at such « . . "*^ encounter. .hould have been ..ruT^?'^'"-""*''*"""'""'"' would not give the f ™| „' Tl ^/u '"?.""'• "•" "« she wen, away to geVrldv ,^' I " '"''«' "'°''«'" " that the marriage w« ,?,^e "l^"' *« »"' <" '«»n»y couW not .top i, • P'"* '° •»»". «nd that die i m I = 1^! CHAPTER XVIII CLOSING IN dark cloud, absorbed them ^' ^'^^^ * ^''^'' It was inevitable that she should have grave doubts 19a li k #' Closing In '93 about the prudence of f »,- ^ the passionate p^Lf!^'?,"' '" *" "■°"8''ts loved, and it filled h«w!^ T '* ''*'"S the man she would be witliout hi^ """"^ '» «""■' of what life w.;«x; "ti^tut'T .rr;;?^.,''^^ .^'- <•>- some time to dawn which ZllT^ *'' *= '*»>' '^ It was the salt of my life rt "l"^ ""^ wife? else fresh and sweet »nHi °"' """» "^^ kept all Wng. But no^^^rsill^",'' '^'' """•= «« ^o"" "I wonder if J ourt,? i!^' "P'>' *"<> """vily. to Have dared Zd^ Z tV°'' """• " ' ""Sht how could I marn, hTm > It m f '' ^'« '""^ We waiting for th^ btow to"aU tC ' ^.^ '" "«» "-^ toow that his wife was th, .• , ""'"''' '« "» world hard this world is I ?h*.""^ °' " ">"^' »- tKlsIi"'""rfT'T '' '""-""ely distasteful to me," said "esae. If you have any further object to gain b^ ^onA enough to state it at once." '» gam, be good -M«ri^ " 1*" ^I,'""'" "' '*"«^ ™ J""" '"'"y. Miss the t^r ' *"'""• "'* " ^«'" P'-^ i-fore " If that is all, my pleasure will be secured bv vonr lea™g me. A wild beast may play ,00 lonl w^ 1 "Cfm. remember, and the latter may escap^ ^ir h „o by a^y means too late for me to recalUhe wo'^d I ^vel°' ,uic«;r ^uh'vLr " " '-^'-^ ^°" --'• "« p- - „ J ^? f ? I*^"""*^ "■* '» » ':<«' ^'^^ yo"*- terms, and sacri- fice my fnend even to save my sister. Your presence aea in or X. *'" ^°'" '^' '^"'^- ^'^ <=o"'e here wm bi ' 't i'""?''^ '° ^"'^ "" ^°^ *he truth's sake will be moie than I can resist," she cried, angrily as she rose from her chair. ^^S^^y, as sne The Count rose also, anger. If you want to be rid of it. do what you ay ,J ' "" '"""Sed my mind in the meantime and taken courage to tell the truth." neaniime and He went without a reply, and Dessie. shaken in her resolve by her own words, sa, down agaitl in gZjZ anJtlrW tVf ^"^ '"*' >»"'' <>' *« remorseless and utterly reckless scoundrel was indescribably distress- mg. ""d the sense of absolute powerlessness whth^r "ble " '"'"^"'"'' •"''' "" ""--y ^-^t ™- Thc Count de Montalfs visit and the whirlnool of h^"^ oftatV*"."*- " r"""" -* '»» f^ ptS"',ftt^;erh:re;St;^rtr:ir ~ letter froJL^-a^S'l^':?:;! ^^^^^ to the suspense, and lack of sleep and despondency ^ at Clocing In 199 A^'^^ *! ^"""^ '■" ^ » vi,itor-Sir E. Lan- J You «-e looking vcy iU," he said, as ,oon „ he saw sl.a.^r'"HaHT'il"°' "^^ ™ "«"•" '*" "'»'»««. nn^T. u y '"°*" y">" ""•■« ^ming here, I would you lIlToXht:^ "" "•" "^ *' '^^"^^ " I mean well by you; I declare I do. I will do anv thmg .0 help you in fti, trouble. I W *e cfusH; ^us that she was mterested in spite of herself. " What "ore do you know than I told you when you-well you *rsh:td'hr ntLt ""'"■"• """ -' - »* *«" -rc'^x^nr^^r-rLr-i have cojne .0 tell you agau, that I love you. You arc alone, absolutely alone in all this. For the second ti"e ;^H«ei:i.^°" *"' ■"" '» '^^ » "« *--" "p of seejng the evidence of this in his words. He winced a "If I have, what then? I have no thot-ht but vour Chenton. You know that you can't go on living here- domg more than a man's work for a girl's L that barely keeps you alive. You may think you c^n do i for a time ; but how are you going to keep it up ? You're 11 200 II a: \ •J ■ iiii The Heriuge of Peril looking now M ill a« a doe. Give it ,m v . a plucliy fight of it and i, ;■„.. /P; ^°" "« "»<•« Bat you',r! beat.": Vj,ZlZ^'V"'" '^'"■ me. I know I acted like r^l. Give yourself to •oul I want notWne b«tt th^r T" ^- ■"" »» '"r I'm Sony." ^ **" * '='*»« of showing you wht r'jih^orhrJ; st 'r f -" """- might promise him well ^ ^ ""'"" °" *"' <««• bat'^.h ht^hrtTtw:;' 'gst^j^'--''^ « "- at him. • ^^"^ ^^'^""^ »t now to look mJ'htTlfy^t'Cf.^'^^ "VouVe not finished. Let can step in a moraenrfron! ,h ^ *"' ">' >■"• y°« with all its hard, Silrhl'l'''' f* °' *" P""«' I swear shall hav"5h „Tl''^' !"''• '■"<> » '»« that and wealth in it to dTsScf ev^^ '" f '^^"'y the fact that I was onr, ^ f*" jour thoughts from Will you mar4r»™ """'^'"^ ''■*°«''y <>' you. curt t"^ "" "^"'"^ "« '^ «^ ? " »•■» asked, in a hard, neve?"cS'uld W-^''^-' '°" ^»" "»- « I thought I ifZcWcX'towee?""- ' -"0 "« mam you, I have no J^^, ^ol?"™7«'* -" *e workhouse.' held it for the BamnTt'o ^ouf ' '^'' ** ^"^^ ""\ i,.: The Heritage of Peril you saved me from, Dessie, and why I did not dare to make myself known .„ y„u, and why I hav alwa« thought of you as a dear sister." ^ She stopped to Itiss the girl. 1, ", 'j'"' ■'""'''' *"'' "■*" I '»* "«t the whole scheme had been planned by my husband and .!,at vUlain a^d my eyes were open indeed to the infamy of to^' My return completely disconcerted him; but I had noi bee^ away lo^g enough for him to bring any charge alate^ ™V t'imtsT?' '!;' ""■" ^'-^-' - L~ t™ I ^hT ?■■."" "^'^'"^y 'o ^ carried fur. ton aL P^"'" "P °'' "■'^ ""y •'""I' of destruc- tion, and was saved to protect my child and to wonder how I could ever have been so mad and blind Z to tave nL-If ^ fi '^ ""^ ''™' ='''^'»<', having run d h.mself n health and pocket by his excesses. He has never returned; but his brother, who has always tak™ " It .s over, thank God," was the reply. " But now vou e^r,!!' ^T "' """ ""=""6, wh"h no one elTeT ear^l- knows but you. Do you know I often have , he picture of you in my thoughts, as you were thar
"'^"' ceive. It was Z:^':tZ''^^ -J ■« - -- now to save ,ou in return F„,' ' ^ ' ''*''' '^°"'« brink of an error wWch "=„ I ^"^ "' '^"'""^ °" «•« for you as mfnetiJitTa^r/f""'^™'"'-- "range coincidences Tthe worfd .h T\""^' "' >" man, for I have \^J^, J, ^^""'Sh the same evil i' is the same ;J,^."" '"""S" ''•''"> Tom to know that ^Dessie trembled a little, and then said, slowly and whicrtr::t;: hi ;:- ;tf r *°^^ '■-- bave^ven him his hold oter yl™^ ^f„ JX: '"^^ j_j;es. I found .h^_ „, ^„^^^^ „ ^^._j jjj^.^';"f,-^_^^ "Stay a moment before vou Ml «,- me finish what I know about them t? '"^*^'"^- ^^* found out afterwards, of ctrse ^ t '1;? T'. ' was, and followed his trial as ^^1^,,^ r ! ^^'^'^ murder of an old man DM ^"'P^'^ ^^^ ^'^^ nodded. ^' ^'^yo" see that?" Dessie "Well, some three vearK a^*-^ j -rote to you, he came fo me Wh« he ,1"'' .""^ ' I cannot tell, but his powT over 1 T'',' "' '^° threatened fo have him'tuZd "Jt ^ ^y^, '':''':: J ^"^•^z^zr:^ ' wou'idlat^^:-. "b : .o.d me the'tar:,:;;Te*rr Z ^V^lr'Tdl'd r^ i 208 The Heritage of Peril not remember he had ever given me the cigar case to take care of; but I have no doubt that he did so in order that if anything happened to him they should be found on me mstead of on him. I suppose he went in actual fear of the arrest, but I have even now no idea how he came by the jewels. I suppose he had stolen them. He IS certainly villain enough." '' He is villain enough for anything," said Dessie. " I wrote to you to put you on your guard should you ever neet him, and in case the story he told should be true. But I little thought there would ever be need. Now I think you know everything, except that when I heard from Tom one day that he wanted to marry a girl named Dessie Merrion, I puzzled my brains to think whether it could be you. I could not let drop a word about my knowing you; neither could I do what Tom was always asking me to do— come up and see you. I thmk— " and she stopped, and taking both Dessie's hands in hers, held them, and smiled to her, " I think I was a little afraid of you— afraid of what might happen if you recognised me, as of course you would. And do you know that is about the only thing I ever refused Tom Cheriton in all my life. I never can resist that cheery winning, breezy way of his— his wheedling way; and T have had to tell terrible stories and invent all sorts of excuses and plans to get out of doing what would have given me the sweetest pleasure in life— having you down to stay with me— if only I could have made sure what you would be to me." There was no doubt now as to what Dessie thought of her; the girl's heart was warming with every refer- ence to Tom. " But I could help you in one way all the same. Robert— his uncle Robert, you know, who is one of the Dessie's Visitor 209 kindest and best-hearted men that ever lived— would take the crotchet into his head that you were a fortune-hunter, and wished to marry Tom, not because you loved him, but because you wanted a share in the money which Tom will one day have; and he accordingly insisted that Tom must show himself able to earn at least £200 a year in his profession. But the whole thing was merely intended to test your love for him ; and day after day I used to talk to him, filling him up with implied praises of you. But he always had the best of it." "How?" asked Dessie, with a bright smile— her thoughts were all away from her troubles for the moment, and all with her lover. "Ah, that's the smile Tom raves about," said Mrs. Davenant, smiling in her turn. " And I'm not surprised either, my dear. Let Robert feel the wa mth of one of those looks, and his opposition will melt as surely as the sun melts snow. But he could always beat me, as I said, because he would turn on me and say, ' If you think so much of the girl, why don't you have her to stay with you?' and I had no answer. I came to town once, re- solved to see you, but my courage failed me, and I went back, having only met you in the street, after waiting about outside here for some hours. I thought that a girl who could fight the plucky fight you had fought, and be so strong as to win your way to independence alone and friendless in this big, cold, hard Babylon might be so confident of her own strength as to despise the weak- ness which I showed in the moment which threw us together." "And now?" asked Dessie, with another smile, a mingling of happiness and love. " Now I think I am the harder of the two. Then came the news of all this trouble— that you had fallen myste- 2IO The Heritage of Peril nise nim at once. I felf fhaf «„, u^ r '^-^ save you. and we could both be strong together If t!n barrister .ha. I ^'loTe." „^'' '" * "~"' ^^''^^ 1 am very glad you have come- I felt lit. cfo • pess.e shook her head slowly and smiled. I cannot I could no. .ell Tom " -n,;. and then in a very earnest ;»„H Iff . "" moments, "My dear, yo"^ ^ rl^l/CXiorrf^.^^^^ "Have you told him about the— about n,,r p- • ham meeting? " asked the gin, intt^^^X eage^r""" No. not yet. I wished first to make quite sure th«t this impostor Count was in fur* fu t ^ *"** B«. I shall .ell hi. Z, 'o"f tie LH "°""<""- shall .ell hin, also .he pari *a. rvil^n ptX^i;' 1,!^ Dessie's Visitor 211 " It would do no good-and I cannot. The jewels are only the leas, part of the whole trouble.- ' " than .ft I shir '" S'' "'.''''"''" '''""'''■' »"d ■"<>« atelv" ^°J't,''° T.u"",' r" ■"'•" "'«" D''^^'^. passion- ately^ He w,n thmk I have instigated you, and he paus!^!" wl«t?" asked Mrs. Davenant, when Dessie Davu,a„t, she cned ap,n,,n a tone of great distress, tak- ng her companion's hand and kissing it. ■' If i ;„«« Sh'^^eTa oT'f '"^ ' """-^°'' -« ToJw™ d toth see that only trouble and misery and ruin can come of th,s mterference. Don't see him, and don'tTpeaka t^ta "th^ToTd"'?- *'"!"^- '=° "^^^ -'"««'" to bear this lead alone, I can bear it; indeed. I must «ce n:l "^^ "•«' *»■ f°''- f-- your inteX' ence I know you mean to do what is kind and lovine and I know that Tom hasn't a thought that isn't S efforts to iir i,'"" °"'^ ™^'^y "^ "■"« of a"y efforts to help me Please, please believe I know what I r^r-- She"*'"" r "'!' "-^ "•" '"-«• N"'" "J „ V , "'"' """"^ hysterical in her agitation You must let me be the judge of that, Dessl Tjan only promise to do nothing if you tell me eve^^g and I see for myself that you are right." "^^'"S- 1 212 The Heriuge of PcrO \ii ■ a .„!/ '^°' "" ^""^ ' «»"«; I ">•»» not. If I were ^? 1 1 ■' r7°"" •»*«««« plainly a, I do pe^ltv tlTi." 1*f ""• '° 'P«k-pledged Ler the penalty that is absolute and utter ruin " _^e^ profound distress pained and embarrassed her "What is this barrier?" ;;ican„M,e||you. Please ask me no more." loves yoTlik?,htT' \'""°' '''™ " '«'* *is. Tom loves you Ike the true honourable fellow he is and hi. ha^mess ,s bound up i„ this hope of n^ ,t ht ;; I can never marry him. I am not fit." thinf you t^r^^ v'' ?'' ?"' "'^ '*^^' '* « *»^e only a^r^e w^th V r *" '^^' ^' ^°^^ "^^ b«««ve; and I agree with him. I cannot, therefore 1*.^ fh.«„o 1 l thev are T h^u^ j "»crciore, Jet things rest where Ihll t ^^' ^^ '° ^°^^ h«' tJ^at you are acting i„ this way for some cause which has quite upset yotu" S!"'^"'-"' I „„3t interfle to Le ^ f roi Dessie sighed, and withdrawine her hanric *, u vol "^^^"7^^'" «he said, in a low tone of sorrow • " as ^e rum has come, you ./ill be soror indeed that youTia^ been so merciless in your friendship." ^ ^^"^ she ^'t up" *"Vrr'^ '" ^^'^ ^^^- ^-«^ant. firmly, as sne got up. I shall save you from a ruin which I am sure, you have done nothing to deserve." Dcssic's Visitor j,^ J Are you going? Where?" she asked, dreading the tfii? .^.^°'"8^ ^*'^»8^h* to Mrs. Markham. and to face ^« vUlam who calles hi.self de MontaltUo unmal "Keeohl^^ Tu^ ^'"' '°"'"«^'y' '^' whispered: Keep heart and hope, for Tom's sake." The next moment the door closed behind her and Dessje felt chilled with the knowledge that the r^ n "e dreaded was now brought close at hand. Ill IS CHAPTER XX lA'' DAPHNE AGAIN Jlf^' ^T'^u'"'^ "^^^ "'""'' ^•'^"^'^^ «"d profoundly perplexed by the interview with Dessie. and on her way to South Kensington to see Mrs. Markham, she turned over and oyer in her thoughts all that the girl had said. trying vainly to guess the key to the mystery which had caused the sudden rupture between the two lovers She had long accustomed herself to think of Dessie in a strain of somewhat exaggerated admiration. The service which the girl had rendered her at the critical moment of her life, had developed and grown as the re- sult of constant thankful remembrance until Dessie had become m a manner idealised in her thoughts. All that Tom Cheriton ever said had seemed to confirm and strengthen her feelings until they were almost passionate. As a consequence, it was impossible for her to interpret the secret as involving anything disgraceful to Dessie Herself. But at the same time the knowledge that there was some secret which as Dessie herself declared might mean ruin, that it was in some way connected with the man de Montalt, and that it was something more serious th^ the possession of the jewels, formed a problem which baffled her. She was convinced, however, that the key was in the holding of the man who called himself the Count de Mon- talt, and she meant to have a hard struggle to get it When she reached Mrs. Markham's house in Edg- ai4 Daphne Again ai5 cumbc Square, the widow was not at home, so that she could do no more than leave her name and say that she would call agam. When she called the second time, she rotU r"J" V''' ''"' '"'^^"^ °f M^«- Markham. the I ount de Montalt came to he*-. curtly.''^* '° '"^ ^"* Markham. not you." she said. caZr""wi! °"t ""^ ''^' *" '^'' '^'''" ^^ answered ^nZT ' '"^^'^. ^°" "'^^^"y ^°^ y«"^ warning, and made my preparations to receive you. I come to you now laden with regrets from Mrs. Markham-trwhom I have g„en a bnef sketch of your career and your prob- able business wuhher-because she finds herself unable TJV''''- u ^^' ^^'"^^""^ ^^"^1^ ^^ry '""ch to-day and knowmg that you and I are old acquaintances, begs hat you W.1 allow me to be her messenger in this mal Z U T , .' " '"^'^ ^^^^^y-^ ^° "°t '"tend you to mark^'hf «^^"- ''^ ?^"^^ '" ^'^ manner which enougt °^ '^" ^'' ^^"'^"^^ ^^« ^harp " My otject here is to ask Mrs. Markham whether she knows a certain Rolande Lesp?-d." " I can answer that for her. She does not She has nr^aTtrmfrr' '"r^ ^^ ^^^--^^ -ay": 'h Miss Mernon-shall we say Merrion?-has told you tha Mrs^ Markham is going to do me the inestimable honou of becommg my wife." The pause before Bessie's rZe did not escape Mrs. Davenant. "Miss Merrion has told me nothing-will tell me nothmg; and .t is because of that I am here." enth^sfasti^r'^. a''""'"^ T'''" '^ ^^P"^^' - '^ ntnusiastically. A young lady whose confidence it 2i6 The Heritage of Peril is an honour to share and a crime to disclose. I have a keen interest in Miss Merrion, and I am glad she did not send you here." His ineffable assurance exasperated Mrs. Davenant. " I come at the request of Mr. Cheriton, who is a relative of mine— my nephew." "Your dear husband's nephew?" he interposed with a sneer. "Yes, my husband's nephew. He told me enough about you to enable me to recognise you ; and because of thati am here." " For what purpose? " " To warn Mrs. Markham what manner of man you are." * " That is profoundly kind of you. But I fear you will no. have to take that trouble. I do not propose that my funre wife should make the acquaintance of a lady who was once all but— my mistress." He paused to give this emphasis. '^'You scoundrel," cried Mrs. Davenant, her cheeks flaming. " You dare to say that I " " I am a martyr to the truth, when it suits my pur- pose. But does your nephew know of that interesting little episode in your career? If so, I am surprised he should think any acquaintance between you and my wife possible. I know young men have loose notions nowa- days, but really I thought better of Cheriton. I sup- pose he thinks his own respectability makes the differ- ence." The sneering insolence of his taunts was indescribably offensive, but Mrs. Davenant put a strong curb on her anger. She knew that he spoke with an object, that insolence with him was as easy as courtesy, and that his Daphne Again 217 h^/^ '"''"'*'^ ^'^ " * *"««* '^ »«="« »onic end ne nad in view. "You shall answer for these sneers," she said I understand you too well to be either irriuted or plea«jd by any mood you choose to assume. You can tell as well as 1 what my present object is." Even If your husband is dead. I cannot marry you." hnHv r' ^/"^f"°"« <=o^"d." cried Mrs. Davenant, ••Bu;.h t'^/'"^ •"'"'* ^*""« "•'^ » ^hip lash, she added m a cahner tone. "You are still charming in your tempests." he said ^in. smilmg. "Only i„ the old days your husband was the cause and object of them, not-your lovers." You will not irritate me again." replied Mrs. Dave- nant I have a purpose to gain, and I am here to gain L m. M ' i^^'"^^'^^^ ^y nephew. Mr. Cheriton. ^d Miss Merrion. You have bound her by some means to keep silent, and have so frightened her. that she arcely Imows what she is doing. She is klmost ^. side herself with terror of you. What is the cause ? Will you tell me-^r shall I force it from you? " JuJH •T'^ charming of you to attribute to me so w th his mocking smile. " But really I don't possess it. f.11 T "^'"^ '^"^^ '""^ ^*''^^"^' ^°^'"^' d^^oted hearts apart. I am not so cruel. So far as I am concerned, they To^LT? J°'"'°''°'"' ""^ ^' ^ understand that the young lady has no parents, I shall be only too happy to give her away to Mr. Cheriton." " You have separated her from her friend here." a 1 8 The Hcriuge of Peril " On the contrary, she separated herself. But I am bound to add I should have done so. I do not consider her a fit companion for my wife." "That is rather a compliment. You class her with me." " Not exactly with you," he answered, steadily. " You are only a woman who would— she is one who did." "What do you mean?" cried Mrs. Davenant, hot with anger again. " Do you dare " ^^ " Ask Sir Edmund Landale," he interposed, curtly. " You will then know why I class her where I do." " Do you insinuate " " I insinuate nothing. I only teU you that Sir Edmund Landale is the man whom this Miss Dessie Merrion, as she calls herself, did not marry. Ask him the rest— or her? Why do you suppose she makes all this mystery, if there is no disgraceful secret? As for marrying your Mr. Cheriton, if he cares to marry her— when he knows what there is to know— it is nothing to me." It was a dastardly blow, but it struck home, and Mrs. Davenant sat silent and dismayed. She was all un- willingness to believe any harm of Dessie, and her whole instincts revolted against the idea of accepting for a moment any slander he might utter. But the sheer au- dacity of the accusation impressed her in spite of herself, and the reference to the fact of the mystery impressed her in spite of her faith. " I do not believe a word you say. Not a word," she sai(^, after the pause. " You have some diabolical mo- tive, and for this reason you make this abominable charge." " As you please. It is nothing to me," he returned, lightly, with a shrug of the shoulders and a gesture of indiflference. " You can easily prove it." Daphne Again 219 "Who is this Sir Edmund Landale>" "Ask Miss-Merrion. She can tell you-if she likes " -this with a sneer. " Ask her. or go and see him. Any tT:i " Y^'' '•'" '" ''''^'' ' -" ^° -th vou" f thi^zy::^';;^^'"*^^''^"^- ^--^--din caie.^ Your'own." ""' "'""' '''' "°"'' ''''' '» »-»» * tesf * "*""* ^'' *'^'^' ^""^ '^'^'°^' *^ '^P'"^ ^»« Pro- «ol'"' ?^7,^ything more you wish to say or do? If not -he left the sentence unfinished, but his meaning was clear enough. •'^-mng kaiii/ '^' '*" ^ ''^''^ '^^ ''°"''' ^ *"**" '° '"" M"- Mark- '' You will do no good-to your young friend." whatTsayV"' ^^^ '^*°^*^^' ^^^'^'y- "But I mean " Then I'll go and fetch her." He bowed gravely and wen to the door and before he opened it turn J and said. If I succeed m inducing Mrs. Markham to see treated with very scant courtesy." And with that he bowed again to her. a smile twitch- ing the comers of his mouth as he left the room As Mrs. Davenant waited, a crowd of perplexing thoughts pressed upon her and after sitting some tie she began to grow impatient. This feeling developed quickly as the minutes passed. A quarter ^of an hour went, and when this had lengthened into nearly half an hour, she rang the bell. " Does Mrs. Markham know that I am waiting to see her on very important business ? Please to tell her " she said to the servant. I 220 The Heritage of Peril I -I u 'Mrs. Markham, mum? answered the man, in some astonishment. " She's gone out, mum, with the Count- nearly half an hour ago." ««r?"^ °"'' " ^"^^ ^"- I^avenant, in astonishment. Why, I have been waiting here to see her." " They must have made some mistake, I think, mum, and thought you had gone. The Count gave me a letter to give to you— Mrs. Davenant, I think?— if you should call again." " Bring it to me, please. There must have been some mistake." The man went away and returned with a letter. Mrs. Davenant opened it hurriedly. " Dear Constance, Inadvertently you see I have dropped into the old style. I have tried to persuade my Dora to see you. but she will not. I am sorry to have to leave you in th^ house, but my dear Dora's health is not strong enough to warrant her facing such a scene as one between an old love of one kind and a new one of another. We had already planned a little trip into the country, and time * outhls *° °^ "^ *^*"*^ ^°" personally to tell G. de M." As she read this she nearly bit her lip through with vexation at the manner in which the man had outwitted her; and telling the servant she would call again, she left the house. She understood the meaning of the trick well enough. He was determined that she should not see Mrs. Mark- ham before the wedding if possible, and had hurried her away from London. She went next to Tom Cheriton's chambers, where any Daphne Again le t. 1, a u 221 message from him was to be sent to her; and she found mvenant had had a senous relapse, and was in damrer She wrote a few hurried lines to'D;ssie, JZ 1 ~ ture, and drove to the station. *^ Meanwhile, Dessie herself had been coming to a new resolution as to her own plans. ^ ^ Mrs Davenant's visit had troubled her greatly It was e'esftfLf did'^\^^^" '''''' -'^ -- --' -^ aearest to her did not mean to let her go her own way in peace, and that despite all she might do and Ty they would interfere and hurry on the^ruin and ex'po ure A 1 tt r: ''"""* "'^'^ ^"^ "^^^ *- avoid "^ All the best intentions in the world and the most af ^y.i reunion. ^.Z^^^^I^Z'T:; a«.OT in her behalf; and there was only one wav in which she could do this ' ^ " Flight folflt/e tV".™' ''*"^" "■^'"'"^ "''"" fron, her lormer nte, and she must do it atrain ti,^ « HI il I 222 The Heritage of Peril had her experience to guide her and confidence in her ability to make the new start successfully. She had just formed her resolve when a telegram from the Count came, saying that he should call the next day instead of Monday. This suited her plans, and she went at once to the Safe Company to get the jewels. There a surprise awaited her. There was a letter from Daphne, in which the latter said that she was coming to London, and that Dessie must let her know at once where they could meet. After a moment's reflection, she wired in the name Merrion and gave the address of her own rooms. This letter gave yet a new direction to her thoughts, and after she had been to the safe and taken out the rubies, she walked slowly home to her rooms, deep in thought as to the possibility of carrying out a plan that occurred to her. It might be practicable, she thought, to go out of the country with Daphne; right away to some distant colony, where the old pains and old pleasures might both be forgotten, and a quite fresh life commenced, where neither they themselves nor their ugly history would be known. The idea pleased her; pain though it was to think of putting the sea between Tom and herself. Yet it would be better for him. He would then be forced to realise the uselessness of any further hope, and cease to be troubled about her. When she had passed some time in this kind of dream- ing, Mrs. Davenant's letter came; and it seemed as though all things were combining to make the plan of flight easy. Tom was away; Mrs. Davenant was now called away again; Mrs. Markham had quarrelled with her; Daphne was coming up to town. One last short Daphne Again ^^^ one end. ^verythmg was shaping itself ,o the Mrs. DaZitlaL: ^"^/""'"•■ere. When Tom or andnothingThouTremaTnKv 'r. t ""■« *« ^"'^ A letter to each of T " ^. '"' '''* ~'''<' ■« '"«d- s«m hard « firs. wtT a^T *" "'°"^''- '' "■«". But it was better o cm h'hu ^ " "'*'" """'' " ^o- ^:^rth-™------':"";^r^s .% .wo might detennine on sll tte '^ """• "■=' coming mU X'r a tavrfhe^ i'' th'"" ?'^'"' rov*»rv T« 1, '"voive Mer m the risk of dis- of 2d his fX"' TT '"" "=='•«' """i'™ akin to all™ ,1? hfr s^:'r'L:w'r'' '"•° '"■"""'"^ placed in danger of Trrest '"°*^""' """ ^° indlxi^ne^:'r„^3urs.td'*''r••'^" -"'•' and no letter or te.egrarct^el^m he" tSriL^-f increased rapidly. ' "'^ ^ anxiety «„ J n '''^' r' ^'"'"^ °" '"^^^^ f^*- tJ^e Count's visit and Dessie began to fear that the two migh reelon their way to the hoii«!*. • o«h *u . ""S"t meet on dot p^Tvtt r™ ■ "' '" '^ '"" •""™^' *•«« '» !* i ■ I 224 The Heritage of Peril But Acre was no need. A full hour before noon, the time which the Count had appointed, a gentle knock sounded on the door. It was Daphne, dressed in her nurse's uniform; her hair brushed well behind the black veil which was laid over It, to conceal it as much as possible from sight. She came in as quietly, and with as much self-posses- sion, as though entering a sick-room in the exercise of her profession, and taking Dessie's hands in hers, she kissed her on the forehead, and said gently, "I am glad you trusted me with this 'address, dear. 1 have come up now to tell you that I have changed I mean to face this man, Colimbert, and dare him to do his worst. CHAPTER XXI THE COOWl's PIAHS The Cbttiit de Montalt had fully appreciated the »«- cieJ^ Tn"'.*' «'»"<»»''ip between her and Tom t?^?' J '^* "«"«" he had set -iown her vi,i, gravity of the step to him. Mrs. Davenant knew a> much „ D«,i. h.„ ^„^ ^^ ^^ ,u, te »o^g" li? M ■' """' """ ''"P''^ °" Mrs. Markham to make the latter altogether unwilling to marry him ffis of Mut"" was thus i.. udden but immLt dan^'; rj^' * .^ °" '"' '^'*°'T' <"" D«"« so quickly wor,:c'torh:wr :^:: "^ *-* -"t-^' "^^ vacuity to be fa^X: ^nrwir, ^' t^r^eH t" ^r"' *" '"'"■'<« "f » barrister r^ nang on to the very last moment. secret, h,s hold over Dessie was lessened. He was not ••5 I i r ■ n ii, i 226 The Heritage of Peril actuated by any motive of malice or anger towards her. All he wished was to gain his own end in his own way. If that were done he would rather help Dessie than hurt her. It was only when people threatened him that he turned on them. Thus it would serve no purpose to ex- pose Daphne Marlow when no good for himself was to be gamed. He wanted to trade on the threat, not to do the thing itself. He chose his course with customary promptness On his return to the house with Mrs. Markham after Mrs. Davenant's first call he had seen the latter's card and, scenting danger instantly, had begun to prepare the widow for anything that might be said. He told her that Mrs. Davenant was a woman of somewhat abandoned character who had tried at a critical time of his life to force herself upon him; that she had professed an over- mastering love for him ; and that having heard of his im- pending marriage she had probably come to try and separate them. Mrs. Markham's jealousy was fired in an instant, and she was for refusing to have her in the house at all; but the Count said he had more recently become possessed of information about her which would probably free both from her attentions for the future. For this object in Mrs. Markham's view, the interview had taken place' and when the Count left Mrs. Davenant he told the widow that the visitor had gone. ^^ "I have got rid of that woman," he said, with a laugh. She won't trouble me again as long as I live. I hate being unpleasant to any woman and threatening her with the police, but it is an unfortunate necessity at times However, now we can start for our little trip," and he kissed her and smiled into her eyes, as though he had not a thought which he did not share with her. The Count's Plans 227 her into the carriacr. vl ^ ^ ^^^ tenderly, and put suggested ttTe^:r^^^^^^^ °' T"^'^"'^ ^^^^ world that he wish J! ^ ] °"^ ^'''"8: in all the Then, witi heZuse If^^^^^^^^^ ^"^ --^""^ he ran back intnTh? I ^ forgotten something, called again. ^''™ *° ''" « 'he As soon as possible he sent a teleeram tr. n.. • >ng he would call the next day ins'S^"f 1^^ ''^; •he «n.e arranged, and lying ^W \n ZT^ "?' t^B'^hti^"- ""^"^ '"^ .He"t'^r;- :■; -dnatl^^nTsf^^ '„t^- '^~. O'^P'- Her -dt pi^:re:Lrr. '"-^^^^^^^^^ "iZuhil'A^u ?° '^'" ^'^^>^ ^'^^ Count. «onl«^?ti;Xre*^^Btl^^"-""''^""^- H^l.ad the hardilt o/hr^ati^irX^y-r sharjly*^""' "■' ■''"P*" '» ™''- i' «>." said Dora, sHonrirroLntrrtLir r ^ wa'sTorth'-^^H ' '""^ ^••""'^ H?^^^^^^^ was no,, then how much had her conduct to do wiA ilu mi n 228 The Heritage of PerU changing him for the worse? That is how you must look at a match of that kind." The widow was in no mood to make excuses or even to hear them made for a woman who had tried to win her lover away. tnl^^'u^ ""^ ^'''°"' *° ^"^ y°"'" he said, smiling to her. He could see that she was sufficiently angry now to h ar anything. " She kept saying that if you would only just hear her, you would never marry me. Then she caUed me a thief, a rascal, a villain-anything and everythmg that was insulting-and why? I asked her why; and all I could gather was that my crime was in danng to love you. Dora. The woman is mad, my dear; stark, staring, raving mad, because I would never listen to her. If ever you meet her. or any of those whom she can set agamst me. you will know how to judge the scandals they may utter." " How can I meet them ? Who are they ? " "One of them, I regret to say, is that young Cheriton -the man who was so insulting to me the other day. I cotddnt understand his conduct then; but now I see It. He IS this woman's nephew, possibly her tool; and no doubt she set him to insult me." "I wiU never let him, or any of them, enter my house again, said Mrs. Markham, vehemently; and in this manner feeding the flames of her anger with the fuel of jealousy, the man so excited her rage against Mrs. Davoiant and Cheriton that any tale they might tell would certainly be discredited, and the mere fact that they had uttered it would be accepted as proof of its falseness. As soon as this point was clear he pressed the subject of an immediate marriage, and as she was only too ready to accede to his wishes the matter was settled as The Count's Plans 229 he had wished it by the time the train drew up at S^o'd h J'^'^' '^^^^^'' - ^-^^- — <» The train came to a standstiU just at a point where George Vtz^y was standing, and as he was expecting fnends by the train, he caught sight of then, instantiy The Count was irritoted. as he had wished the visit to Brighton to be quite unknown. Vezey knew Cheriton. and m the Counts view any chance connecting link with the latter was a possible source of danger. He knew, too, that Vezey would only be too glad to get hold of some reason for mterfering with the marriage A very few words were interchanged. Vczey saying he should call on Mrs. Markham at her hotel, and then the two drove away together. , u ^T ^'f ' "' '' "°' * ^^ ^^^ th« same good fellow said Mrs. Markham. " But I can't help liking him. He at least wishes me well, Godefroi." "You probably; but me doubtfully." answered the Count, with a laugh. " If he has the same feeling toward me Aat I should have against him, had he taken you from me, he must hate me with a dangerous hate." " You are very fond of me, Godefroi ? " "I would give my life for you. Dora; or take any others life who parted us. We men of the South love and hate with the heat of the sun in our blood " ;; Could you hate me? " she whispered, taking his hand. Yes, If ^ you loved another man," he answered ve- hemently, and tearing out my love from my heart I would set it on a poignard's point and drive it right into yours, m of the South hold life cheap where love IS laise. " If that is the only danger which threatens my life " she whispered ecstatically. " I shall never die." 230 The Hcriugc of Peril That evening he made hot love to her, and before he left to go to his hotel he had arranged to run up to London to get a special license for the marriage. On his way to London early the next morning he plumed himself on the victory he was winning, and the knowledge that he held both successes in his hand, de- spite the odds against him, made them infinitely more agreeable than they would have been if won without trouble. He went first to Doctors' Commons and arranged the busmess of the special license, and as soon as that was completed he drove to Dessie's rooms. As matters were gomg so smoothly witii him he was in an excellent temper. "It is wonderful what a little pluck and dash will do in this world," he mused. " The odds against my winning such a woman as my wife were thousands to one that day when I puUed that young idiot Vezey out of the scuffle at Antwerp, while they were ahnost millions agamst my ever catching sight of those three rubies. Yet I m going to pull off both coups, and this in despite of the fact that I ve been recognised by a couple of people who know pretty well the worst there is to know about me. He gave the cabman a liberal fare, and went up Des- sie s staircase with the confident tread of a man who feels he is going to win, and he greeted the girl herself m much the same spirit. " I thought it better to come before the time we ar- mZ.; "7 ^'""T" ^' '"^^' •" ^'^ '"^^^ -0"rteous manner. I know that my visits are exceedingly dis- tasteful to you. I regret that of course, as my own feel- ings toward you are of the most kindly character, but I The Count*! Plans 231 ft «1 e e e t e s e t ) r cannot fail to see it. and I must act upon it. This will, therefore, be our last interview. I presume you are ready to give me what I have come for? " "Before I give them up I must know more of your right to them " answered Dessie. steadily; and the firm tone m which she spoke and a note of defiance which he had not noticed before made him look at her in some surprise and curiosity. " I have not come to discuss anything— merely to re- ceive my own property. You know well that it is mine." I have seen Mrs. Davenant since I saw you last, and If I give the jewels to you I may have to account for them to her. It was from her I got them." "^ That is nothing to me. They are mine." ' That may be, but I have myself to think of. If I give them to you and Mrs. Davenant informs the police, what am I to say? I am a journalist earning my own living and am at least methodical enough to know the risks that attach to handling jewels worth thousands of pounds. You must, therefore, give me such an account of them as will satisfy me and any others who may come to make inquiries." The man began to grow angry. "What do you mean? I am no fool to submit to fooling of this kmd. Have you the jewels here? " .u'\^uT^\^ ^ ^^''^' ^"* ** ^ ^^ ^"gested to me that before I part with them to you I should ask you how they came into your possession. Will you tell me? " "No, it is nothing to you. Do you mean you have spoken of this to anyone? You know the penalty? " "Yes. I know the penalty," answered Dessie firmly enough. " But the person to whom I have spoken knows you well, so that there is no need for secrecy there " 232 The Heriuge of Peril n III " Secrecy or no secrecy, I mean to have those ruWet, and to have them now." He laid down his umbreUa, and went toward the girl with a threatening look on his face. •' vVill you give them up to me, or am I to take them? You know me." " You mean that having me alone here, and at your mercy, you will take them from me by force? " she asked, backing step by step warily before him. "I mean that I will have those rubies. Come, no fooling. I shall use force if you compel me. You are mad to play with me in this way." Dessie had backed to the door of one of the inner rooms, and stood against it a moment, facing him as if at bay. He looked at her as a beast of prey might look at an easy victim. " You had better give them to me," he said, in a tone that was full of menace and rage, and he seemed as if about to rush upon her and seize her in his powerful arms. Just as he was about to do this the door opened be- hind her, and Daphne Marlow stepped into the gap. She was dressed, not in her nurse's uniform, but with the magnificent hair which had given her her name of Red Delilah streaming over her shoulders, while her face, white and angry, was set with a look of hate and steady courage, as she stared full into the man's eyes. He uttered a sharp exclamation of angry surprise. "Oh, it's you again, is it, you red devil?" he cried, furiously. " I might have known you would be at the bottom of this. I've owed you a debt during all these years, and by heaven, I'll pay it now," and he made as if to dash upon her. Ift. Stop where you are if you are if you want to Jive ! " l^tgf 33 J. The Count's Plans ^33 * Stop where you are, if you want to live," cried Daphne, and she levelled a revolver at his head, and the look in her eyes told him that she was as capable as ever of doing a reckless thing, and shooting him down where he stood. fjj- ■ I- W'i It: ill' i m CHAPTER XXII A LAST OBVZCB t.V^'iT^'r'''' *° '~°^'' ^^'^^^' ^^ accepted the situa- tion, breathing a few deeo anH i,-,.* defeat He la«ori,J^ T^t. ^^^ *=""«* over his said with ,«^'.^^ ^^'■^^'"fi^ '^•"^^^^^ >nto a chair, said with an assumption of indifference • «« force "» and ,0 put „e m the d«k o^ ft*T"""« '" '="»« She paused as if exoen;^ v "«' °' ""•"<"•" i.. he said, with anXS " '" ''^''•' "■" "°«""S .h.'fl«, a'Td onhTX^rh^ ^°"' '™-'«'<^« <" «.b^ you to spearX^ori;'.?' " " ^ «"' -"• » broken. \v^„ I hlrd /r^^^'ul "" *< ""read had done and ^h.tyl^Z^^^^"^''y """ ^°" secure your silence at anv r^ '^°' ' •»""' 'o happiness." ^ cost-even the sacrifice of her «■ "he TntredZin* h^T^'^" ~-'- him. ^ ^'"' '»" «he paid no heed to a ^L« 'of X t "Ttt^ -- ' - f »« 'o -ave ti« coun«e to chf,^e me „ ,? ^heV"""' " >"" h"" my trial, and let the world IV u™' ' ""' ""<< --.Han know sometr^rZt'relZt;;:; -o:^thry::::rs^-t;:^f°-- O-na? And what", ri,'" '"I '°' '" *» ".elo- *»M»yi„,?.. He' "'k;^: sr; "' "" "■■••' ^ ^o-- ^We^ntend ,0 be free from you," ,e,„n,ed Daphne, 236 The Heriuge of Peril : I - 1 i : ! ** Anyone who passes through the dock to the gallows is necessarily freed from the influence of others. But what are you going to gain by changing from hospital nurse to prison convict — to take the brightest view of your future ? " " Your sneers have no power to move us," said Daphne, quietly. " Nor are we moved only in this by the one motive which you can tmderstand — self-advantage." " Oh, you've turned virtuous in your old age." " My object now is to save my sister — " " By letting the world know she has lived under a false name, is the daughter of a forger and the sister of a woman who climaxed a career of vice with murder. I don't know what you think you're saving her from, but anyone can see what you are saving her for." He spoke with intense bitterness. " To save my sister," Daphne resumed, as though she had not been interrupted, " from the shame of witnessing the delivery of her friend to your greedy and murderous hands!" " So you still think and hope you can keep Mrs. Markham's fortune for yourself, eh? " he asked, flashing a look at Dessie. " You can take your choice of courses, therefore," con- tinued Daphne. " But you can't do it. I'm not such a fool as to leave you the chance of coming between me and my plans, and you " (to Dessie) " of breaking your friend's heart under the cowardly guise of pretending to shield her, when your one object is to keep a clutch on her money." "You can do as you please," repeated Daphne. " Either give up the whole scheme, marriage, jewels and all, and leave the country, or go to the police, inform them that you know where Red Delilah can be found, and A Last Derice 237 stand your chance that way. Adolphc Cblimbert may not be an unwelcome visitor himself at Scotland Yard, and this I swear "-she flashed for a moment out of her calm, and her voice rang with deep intensity of feeling— not another hour shall pass, unless you leave the countty. without Scotland Yard knowing that the Count de Montalt and Adolphe Colimbert are one and the same person. He laughed-and a perfectly easy self-assured laugh It was. * " Just as you please. The whole thing is getting very nterestmg and almost exciting. But you've made one little miscalculation. You. Dorothy, not Daphne; she" -and he pointed at the latter-" wouldn't have made it. Your nch fnend is already all but my wife. We left London yesterday together for a destination that no one knows and we are to be married to-morrow morning pnvately-I have the special license-and in the evening we leave for the Continent on our honeymoon-a pair of happy, trustful, devoted lovers." He told the lie with emphatic precision. "I don't believe it," exclaimed Dessie, c itedly. He shrugged his shoulders, and raised his hands. Nevertheless it is true." he retorted, " and you may ask your most remarkable and experienced sister whether T, T J*"'**" calculated to hold what I have once won " I don t believe it," repeated Dessie. He laughed again, as if at her scepticism, but in reality to conceal the thoughts that were fast crowding upon hmi He was beaten, and only at the last moment when he had made sure that he stood on the very threshold of success. But he meant to yield fighting, and so long as there was a bare possibility of winning he would cariy on the struggle. fl. h I ii ' ':i-M 238 The Heritage of Peril With the elder sister in London ready to face the ex- posure and go through with her trial for the murder of the Indian prince, all his power over both the giris was broken. He could only hope to win all and openly so long as the giris were kept apart and Dessie could be frightened into silence to save her sister at any cost. But there were other ways of winning beside those which were open and on the surface. The Rohilkund jewels were worth half a king's ransom ; thousands could be got for them as a reward for their restitution alone, while if a means could be found of selling them, they were worth a fortune. Of the two he would as soon have the jewels as the widow ; and it was for this purpose he had told them of the arrangement to marry the widow on the following day. After a long pause he dropped the bantering, sneering tone in which he had chiefly spoken, and said, with a kind of calculated bluntness : " Now tell me what is your real object in this? Is it to compel me to lose my hold on Mrs. Markham? If so, what terms do you offer? " The change in his manner disgusted Dessie, but the elder sister read it aright. Either the man wanted to make terms, or to hide some other object and plan. " You can leave the country," she replied readily. " Not enough," he said. "What do you want?" " The jewels, and at least a thousand pounds. I shall get more from Mrs. Markham." " You'll not have a thousand pence from me ; and as for the jewels, not a stone of them. Do what you will." He rose from his chair as though in answer to the challenge. " Nothing that you can do can prevent my marrying i i A Last Device ^39 Mrs. Markham to-morrow-nothing shaU prevent it; and when once she is my wife " He finished the sentence with a look which he intended to be a threat; and m that sense Dessie instantly interpreted it "Why not give up the jewels ? " she cried impetuously, lookmg at Daphne, and at the same time putting her hand to her dress as if to take them out. The man noticed the gesture quickly and turned his face away that the elder sister should not see his eyes. He knew now where the jewels were; and the curt refusal by Daphne that followed did not concern him. As you will," he said, assuming an expression of baffled anger and intense mortification. "But I'll be fnmk with you. To-morrow, Mrs. Markham wUl be my wife and then you may be sorry enough that you re- fused my terms." With that he opened the door viciously and slammed It angrily behmd him. When he was halfway down the staircase he stopped to think. An idea had occurred to him and he set his quick busy wits to work to think out its details. The gesture which Dessie had made, as if to take the jewels out of the bodice of her dress, had shown him that she was carrying them on her. His scheme was simply not to lose sight of the girl unti the rubies were in his possession ; and to do this he resolved on the daring plan of getting Dessie herself into nis power. He argued-and a shrewd enough argument it was- that so long as the rubies remained out of the safe they would be m Dessie's care. He had left it all uncertain Tf 2 T Z "°\/ ?"'^* *** *''"'^ ^P^""^ o^ the murder of the Indian, Maiwand; and, obviously it would be the height of imprudence for her to risk being arrested with 240 N I The Heriuge of Peril the property of the murdered man actually in her posses- sion. Such a thing would make it infinitely more difficult to prove that she was innocent of the crime. Moreover, only Dessie herself could go to the safe to put the rubies back there; while it was extremely probable that her first instinct would be to rush off to South Kensington to ascertain whether Mrs. Markham had really left Lon- don with him. His task was thus to make sure that Dessie had no chance of putting the rubies back in the safe, until he should have had an opportunity of taking them from her if she carried them about with her ; or of ransacking her rooms for them if she left them there. To get her into his power he resolved to use once more the man who wanted to marry her, and was, he knew, willing to go to aUnost any lengths for that end— Sir Edmund Landale. He wrote a hasty note to the latter. " Come at once with your brougham to the comer of Great Russell Street, and then come on foot to the comer of D. M.'s street, where you will find me waiting for you. U I am not there, drive as quickly as you can to Edgcumbe Square, South Kensington, and wait for me at the north end of the Square. Do not delay a moment. You can win D. M. n.w certainly, if you will." He gave the letter with a liberal tip to a hansom cab- man, and told him to drive as quickly as he could to Sir Edmund Landale's address ; and as soon as the man had whisked his horse round and started off at a fast trot the Count chose a spot where he could watch the door of the house where Dessie had her rooms, and waited for her to come out. If his calculations were right, she would come soon, because she would be in a A Last Device a4i hurry to get to South Kensington, and ascertain the news about Mrs. Markham. His plan was to follow Dessie. to get her involved in a stree row. and to arrange that Sir Edmund Landale should appear m the middle of it as if by chance, step put her mto h.s carnage, and drive her away. He knew too. that the baronet had a place, a house in the suburbs.' to which Dessie could be taken; and once safely housed there, the rest would be comparatively easy As he stood waiting, de Montalt watched the people m the street until a woman of the kind he wanted Mssed. He spoke to her ; told her that he would give her a^uple J*°T;?!".*^ '^' ^"^ °"" ""' *^° "»°^e would hustle and mob Dessie at a signal from him. They were not to harm her; but they might pretend to recognise her as an old companion, and if she was indignant, to abuse and threaten her. If the two sisters came together, they were to be separated in some way; while the whole thini? was to be stopped when a gentleman should get out ofl carnage and come to Dessie's rescue. The woman was glad enough to' have a chance of earning the money easily, and did not stop to ask what WM to ha^ to the girl, or whether any hann was meant or not. Her anxiety was whether she would iret tiie money when the work was done. The payment of half-a-sovereign m advance settled her scniples on that account, and she hunied away to find companions who would assist her. De Montalt's fear now was lest Dessie should come out before the Baronet could anive and have the plan «plamed to him; and as the minutes passed without the sign of the brougham, his concern increased (1 l.m \i H^ The Heriugc of PerU S.f ; r*^^ " *^*""^^ «"^ "P* ^o' ^y street wnt ;. 'i*' ^"^"^ ^^ "^ •'^^^ before Dessic wo^ "^M^"*** Kensington, and for this purpose the wo««, would have to be driven over there. The Count whnTi."^ "^T" *"^ "'^P^"^ t**" «o her, and wh le he was slicing to her he saw a smart brougham uo" ^m T •'\- "^/^l!l' ^"^'*' ^^^^••'y' " >»« ^«»* .'. r^ *" ^'^'^^ ^^^' **** happened? " Do you want to get Dessie Merrion completely into your power? " asked the Count, in reply. "If you do, there is a chance now; and I will help you." In a comparatively few words he explained the whole plan of the pretended trouble and the rescue. " As soon as you have her m the carriage drive off at a smart pace in the dirertion of South Kensington, going along Oxford stree^ and then make for that pUce of yours in St. John's wood. You can invent some sort of excuse for not gomg straight to South Kensington, and the girt wiU be too excited over the street adventure, and too gmteful to you for rescuing her, to ask many questions. Ill follow, and then we can settle the thing together. Once get her to that house and shell never leave it except as your wife. Now, you understand?" The other man yielded readily, and rather liked the •cherae; and it did not occur to him to ask what the Count's motive was likely to be. It was enough for him that the plan seemed to promise what he wanted. In another minute the two men had separated to wait for Dessie's coming. A Last Device H3 They had not to wait long now. A few minutes later •he came out of the house alone, and after casting a quick glance up and down the street, she walked at a good ^c m the direction of Oxford street-the direSan which took her straight into the midst of the women who were oo the watch for her. ^^ CHAPTER XXIII TRAPPED The calculations which the Count had made as to the probable actions of the two sisters were singularly shrewd and accurate; and the moment he had left them they set to work to plan out their best course of action. " What does he mean to do, Daphne ? " " It is impossible to say yet," was the reply. " He has probably gone away to think over the new position and to make some fresh plans. He won't give in without a big effort; and much of that effort will depend upon how far he thinks he can get of! scot free from any investiga- tion into the murder of the Indian. If he is sure that my conviction will be secured without any risk to himself, my arrest will take place within five minutes. He will bring the first policeman he meets up here." " Oh, Daphne," cried her sister, with an expression of pain. " I am not afraid, dear. I have taken up the cross and n\ carry it now. Better the trial now than the un- certainty that lingers like a canker, killing every hope. I didn't kill the man. I didn't even rob him, as robbery is understood in criminal courts. But if I am not to live a life of constant disguise and fear of discovery, the trial must come; and so far as I am concerned the sooner the better." " I can't endure the thought of it." " If I can, you may," said the elder sister, curtly. «44 Tripped «45 " I don't mean for my own sake only. The thought of your having to face a whole court of people* and " ^^ "If. not that I flinch from." said Daphne, interposing The world and I have always been on terms of mutual dislike and distrust, and one more chance of showing it woo t count for vu h with me. Besides. I had my flinir and must pay the < >st T" ,, r. > coward. But I'm not by any means surv th.v it v il o. « to that. I thought so when you .Srsi c. n^ to me. .. • m own I was scared. But this SCO., -rt. ha. to., „„ .h to hazard to risk it thoughtles ly." " He is siich a JefpT-fe man. Daphne." " Desperate, ye^, but a v,ys with one eye to his own interest. Ut him ; .vl- wliat influence he may with this fool of a fncnd ox yours— this Mrs. Markham— the knowledge that he is really Colimbert and Lespard rolled into one-a convicted murderer in the one character, and a very probable one in the other— would certainly prevent her marrying him. To accuse me and rake up that horri- ble scandal will mean the wreck of his marriage hopes, therefore, at the start, and he won't do that without strong reason." " But we are going to stop that marriage in any case: and he knows it." " No, he only knows we've said so. He is too accus- tomed to threaten one thing and mean another to take every threat of ours for gospel." " Yet I do mean it," said Dessie, firmly. " I wish we had done what he asked-given him these wretched jewels and let him get out of the country with them as soon as possible, and be quit of him." She took them out of her dress as she spoke and tossed them on to the table. " If I can save Dora now it is as much as I want, and he can have the rubies with pleasure." 246 The Heritage of Peril " It will be time to think of that when we know really what he means to do. So long as those rubies remain in your possession you can make your own terms with him. Let him get them, however, and we shall both be at his mercy. At present he clings to the hope that he can both win the rich wife and force or juggle us out of the jewels. To-morrow he will know that Mrs. Mark- ham at any rate is lost to him— that is if we can find her— and then these stones will have a much greater value in his eyes. Keep them. You had better keep them not I. If they were found on me, supposing I am arrested, things would probably go much harder with me. I should take thfem back to the safe if I were you." " I will," said Dessie, " but I am anxious to go and find out the truth about Dora Markham. Even an hour's delay may be serious now." " Then you'd better go at once." " But what will you do, dear? " " Wait here for what happens. I have made up my mind. Do you think I am not as resolute as you? " and Daphne smiled. " You won't be Very long away in any case, and I shall put on my uniform and be Nurse Mor- land once more. If anyone comes for you I shall be only a nurse waiting to see you for journalistic purposes, or some such excuse. We nurses are used to exercising patience. Get back as soon as you can, and then we will settle our next step." Dessie was not many minutes getting ready. "What shall I do with these?" she asked, when she was ready, holding out the rubies. " I can't carry the cigar case about with me, nor the tobacco cake. I think I'm a little nervous about having such valuables on me at all." " There's not much fear in broad daylight," replied the Trapped 247 other. "But wait, let me look where we can best hide them. Not your stays— that's the first place everyone thmks of. Better here." She unhooked the girl's dress skirt, and in a few minutes had stitched the rubies into the top of the skirt at the back, where the gathers eflfectu- ally hid all sign of them. " There now, even a profes- sional searcher might run her hands over you and miss them." They laughed at the precaution thus taken and with a kiss parted, Dessie running lightly and quickly down- stairs. As she closed the heavy door behind her, and stood a moment on the top step, she glanced round, the thought in her mind being to make sure that the Count de Montalt was not waiting for her; and seeing nothing, she walked off at a brisk pace. She had barely turned the first comer, however, when she found her way barred by a number of women, gaudily dressed in flaunting but shabby clothes. They formed a semi-circle in front of her, and one of them came close and held out her hand. " Ullo, Molly, old dear, who'd a thought of seeing you here ? You are a toft, you are. Wot's your lay now ? " " What do you mean ? I don't know you," said Dessie, quickly, feeling not a little alarmed at the women's looks and gestures. They all burst into a loud, discordant laugh when she spoke, and the one who had addressed her turned to the rest and said, with an oath : " My f ain't she proud, the bloomin' 'ussy. Look 'ere, Moll, that ain't good enough fur me. You may be a fine lydy— as yer thinks ycr are. praps— but you never paid me that arf quid you borrered, not you. No, nor ever shelled out for them boots as yer sneaked. I dessay yer all right ; but, if so. shell out now, and be to you." " I never saw any one of you before in my life," said h8 The Heriuge of Peril Dcssic; " and, of course, yoa all know that wdl enough. I'm only a hard-working girt, like any one of you, and " '"Ard workin' gell be sugared," cried the spokes- woman. " I ain't no 'ard workin' gell, and you knows that well enough. No more ain't you. But I want my coin— that which yer borrered, and that for all the things yer sneaked ; and what I want to know is— are yer goin' ter pay or take the consequences? I don't care which; and so that's straight, eh gells? " A chorus of approbation came from the four women, and this was followed by an evident disposition to change from words to something more serious. They jostled Dessie, abused her for having borrowed money and stolen things, and closing round in a small semi-circle shut her up against the wall of a house, and barred every way of escape. The incident did not last more than a minute or two, but it quickly developed so threatening as aspect, that Dessie was thoroughly frightened, and looked in all di- rections for the help which did not come. When it had reached its height, a brougham drove by rapidly, the occupant called, in a loud voice, to the driver to stop, he jumped out, and before the women seemed to have realised what had happened, Sir Edmund Landale pushed his way into their midst, gave his arm to Dessie, who was now trembling and frightened, and handed her into the carriage. " You can explain afterwards." he said, as he handed her into the brougham. " Let us get away first. Who on earth are these creatures;" he exclaimed, as the women crowded round the carriage gesticulating and shouting as if in anger at having been baulked in their purpose. Trapped M «49 ■I haven't the remotest idea. Either they made some ertraordmary mistake, believing I was some fonnerTs! sociate of their^that was what they pretended^' ehe they meant to hustle and rob me. At any raVT was really fnghtened. and infinitely relieved whenTou oZ burstmg through them to my help." She smiledl^; you eoLf T r ' ^°'"^'^*^"^^' I^"t now. where are yougomg? Let me put you in safety, at any rate." The S^IT "'' ^'"^ '""'" '' ' ^"'^"^ P^^« ^'^S Oxford Street, m accordance with de Montalt's instructions. I wi get out here. I think." said Dessie. "Any- hkely to be worned tw.ce m a day by such an adventure." I thmk yoti had better wait a little longer yet Be- Zifh l^'^uV^T"^' ^°'" ""' '° ^"^" y°" ^'''' to drive with me. that I hope you won't hurry. Where are you " To South Kensington-to Mrs. Markham's house in Edgcumbe Square." "I am gong to South Kensington myself." returned her companion. Let me drive you there. You will mil M' ''^'' ^" ^"'"''>' "' '^ y°" ^o ^y »ny other m«ms^ I have one call to make by the way which will not take up much time, and my horses travel fast. What say you ? He asked the question in a tone of such ap- parently genuine solicitude, and Dessie was so really grateful to him for the service he had just rendered her that she consented. She was without r suspicion tha^ anything V 5 wronpr or that the whole incident was not aue to quite natural and innocent causes. Sir Edmund Landah turned the conversation into the safe grooves of small lalk ; chatted with her about her 450 The Heritage of Peril work, told her he had bought copies of all her books pressed her to tell him what she was writing, urged her to make use of him in any way to get her writings better known, and was altogether so pleasant and agreeable that w.^ the carriage turned out of Oxford Street to the north toward Finchley instead of south toward Ken- sington, she scarcely p.id any heed to the fact more Aan to accept the explanati/iH he voluntee/^4 that he was just gomg to make he busintu call he had before re- ferred to. The brougham went at a great pace along Bakft »trm and acr^s into St. John s Wood, and when they had passed the shops and were rattling through the squares and streets of private houses, Dessie began to feel a va«ie uneasmess. * " I am really in a hurry." she said at length, and her face wore a teok of doubt. " Are you going very far ? " Uh, no. the pbce is only about five minutes from here, or at the outside ten ; and really you will be quite as soon at your friend's. From Holbom to South Ken- MigtOB vta Fachley road is not the riiortest cot. of cmne but it is quicker behind a p«r of horses like rTi*^ ,'.",r °^'^"'' *"^ '^^ «^^«^'- ^^ on ^oot. But I should like to tell you what this little business is of mme. You are a woman journalist and knock about a good deal ; so youTI really be a jodge. You writers pick op all sorts of od " and he took the check string in his hand. " I will if you wish It ; but you can really do me a little service, and it is not far now." Bessie's good nature conquered her irritation. " I can really be of no use whatever to you in the matter, but if you wish to make the call, don't hesitate on my account." '' I have not asked you much," he returned, as if a little annoyed and disappointed at her manner after the help he had been to her in the matter of the women ; and feeling this, Dessie was more gracious. In this way he blinded her completely to the fact that the house he was taking her to was his own, and that his object was infinitely treacherous and cowardly, and when the carriage was slackened and after passing through a pair of gates and along a circular carriage drive was pulled up sharply in front of a small house standing by Itself in pretty secluded grounds, she still had no sus- piaon. ** This is the place. Will you come in ? " asked her companion, and his manner showed his nervousness now that the critical moment had come. Dessie seemed to notice the change, and it made her hesitate about leaving the carriage and entering the il If ^:iM 252 The Heritage of Peril s St' i I don t think ni come in," she said, peering out at Uie house. " I don't Hke the look of the pb!I^ ^iTloJ know anything of the people?" ^" smiWW '^.^?^'" !"' ^'^"'**^' racovering himself and sm.hng Comem. I shan't be more than three min- iites sctthng everything." wh^h"' ^''I? ^^ ■**?"«*"'»y »"d against a subtle instmct Iht th^:^ r:S'?!:!' "" "°* "^^'- She rose slowly when the door had been opened and foltowed the bftni net up the steps of the house. As she was in the act of entering, the sound of wheels caught her ear and turning to glance back she saw a ^b enter Uie carnage drive at a quick pace, the occup^t bemg the Count de Montolt. occupant tui^tn JITk "^ *^' '^"'^ '**"'''°'^' «»d ^o"W have ^Thi^- ;h ' ^" TP*"'^ ^P«^ '^^^ *"" finely, hurln l '°°'"' ^"' ^"^'°"'" he exclaimed, and added -r'r^^^ "^ ''.^ "^''- ^'^^^ -^'^ - '-"^h. he •' il . ? * " "^'^^ '^^^ ^*' *"^ yo" »« the bird." ^^ What do you mean?" exclaimed Dessie. very an- ;; Simply that this is my house and you are my guest." You mean you have trapped me here?" cried the girl mdignantly. ^"* mv 1""?" l^^' I''"' °"'y *~ ^*^«*'**^ t° have you as my gjjest; but th,s gentleman will help to expj mat- te^ and as he spoke the Count de MonUlt entered the i _;i CHAPTER XXIV IK THE RAND OF THE ENEHY The Count came in smiling and suavt as usual .nrf In. ey« showed a gl«m of «d.«n«„ « A, ^^^ th. p^«. which had b«n so rapidly formed ^ °' D«s.e herself was filled with fear, but she was far too shrewd to betfav her f^li.^ cu , . «ct.r «« ,u. ^ teehngs. She knew the char- ^hn» n ^ T P~'<>"»dly-that there was no ha^hJ^.httareJl':" "" *" ^"'"' °' "'"■ -"'<' „*' '° ^'[/''""'"'l Lan'tale, she was in doubt. He was Much w<»Jd depenTuSr ^^ rccrte'r^^^f't rdafon, between the two m«., and on the a!r^im„I r J^ ■'" «»««'P« 'or the baronet was intense, and she ^ f^^r**"" ''°^ '"'™« "er chance, of e, cape from eviI were, smce they depended onlv or mainly upon h.s not provng so big a rascal a, he appeared J V * ^"f*"" P"'"°"' '"''"d; and as the con- suler.t,on. flashed one after another through the^^, thought, she seoned to understand how grL her « i c^eSLrt,^' "',?"' ""**>" consefu^'cesTud certamly follow any false move on her part n«!'l„7 W" ''"'■ ^'" """' »»"«»'" what the "«.. wanted. Puttmg a bold front upon raauer,. ,he„. •53 ii ^ 1 254 The Heritage of Peril fore, she waited only until the Count had closed the door, and then addressed him sharply; "Sir Edmund Landale telk me that you have uken the chief part in entrapping me here. Why have you done so?" ' " My dear Miss Merrion, you can surely answer that question for yourself, without my help." he answered, smoothly. •• There can be but one reason. My friend has an overpowering desire for your company. His in- terests are mine; his desires, in this case, mine—" he spoke here with a double meaning, which he managed to convey m a particularly expressive glance, " and what could I do but place my poor services at his disposal ? " « V ^^^ "^ "°* speaking the truth," said Dessie, curtly. You are not the man to act without having your own mterest first. What is it that you want? What is your price? " she asked contemptuously. " You are naturally angry at having been caught in this way— and I excuse that most gratuitous insult. I have no price. I seek nothing. So far as I am con- cerned you are as free as air to go when you please." " You mean you were paid to get me here, and having dore your dirty work your master will pay you." " I mean nothing of the kind." he replied, imperturb- ably. •• I have no object whatever of my own to seek." He was lying, obviously; and the girl rapidly sought for the reason, ransacking her mind for a probable clue to his conduct. Why should he deny that he had an object m getting her into the power of himself and the other? " If I can go I will," said Dessie, suddenly; and she turned and walked quickly to the door. The baronet put himself in the way, while de Montalt looked 00 smiling. In the Hand of the Enemy 2$§ •' You can't go yet, Dessie," said the former. " Will you tell me the truth— why I have been brought here? Do you believe that man when he says he hat no object of his own to serve in trapping me? " " It does not matter to me whether he has or not," was the answer, rather doggedly spoken. " You are here, in my house—in my power if you will ; and I cannot let you go." •• What is your price? " asked the girl, defiantly. " You can only leave this house as my wife." The answer came, clearly spoken, with a determination that evidenced the obstinacy of a selfish man. " Then I will die here," answered the girl, with equal determination, as she moved back and sat down. The Count laughed. " It is a very pretty situation," he said, " very pretty in- deed. Strephon is mad with his great purpose, has caught pretty Phyllis in the toils, and threatens all the pains and penalties of unrequited love if she will not yield to his suit ; and Phyllis sits down in a chair and calls on Death to come and shake her resolution with a touch of his cold, grimy finger. I don't think you'll wait for Death, Miss Merrion. You'll find him a cold con- soler." Dessie took no notice of him; and a long silence fol- towed, broken at length by a sneering laugh from the Count. " I think you ought to know part of the truth, at any rate. I am not ashamed nor afraid to tell my share m this business. You owe it to me entirely, and not to my friend here, that you have been brought to this house. I ought to make the admission, and I do freely, because otherwise you may do what I see you are inclined to do —put some of the blame upon him. I told this gentleman I* f li 2S6 The Heritage of PerU that It wif t matter o* the greatest urgency for me to have yott taken somewhere, in order that I might have an absolutely secret interviev. He beUeved me; and I told the ptons accordingly. As you have probably guessed the crowd of women into whos« rnidst you walked half an hour ^p were paid by me to molest you. In the mid- dle of It Sir Edmund here drove up and you jumped into the brougham in th* Velief that you were being saved fromaveryawkwaroox. A word or two of exptonation •ecured your being brought here to this house. And my fnend consented to the Uttle deception because he be- Iteved he was rendering me a great service. There I de- cdved him. That is the true story of your coming here ; and until now I have not had an opportunity to exptoin to him that my motive was not at all what he thought, but solely to help him. I caused him to do what, for himself and on his own account, he would never have done; and you must please not blame him when the wlwle share falls to me. I am not afraid to carry it." He shrugged his shoulders as he finished, and with a waft of the hand seemed to throw the responsibility away from him. •* I am sure that is not true," said Dessie, readily. " In the first place it sounds false; and in the second it is so utterly out of character with everything I know about you, that I don't believe it for a moment. Do you know who this man is? " she asked, turning upon Sir Edmund UMt' pointing at de Montalt. The latter interposed swiftly. "The question is not who I am; and we should not accept the description of a young lady who, having been considerably outwitted, is angry with the man who has outwitted her." In the Hand of the Enemy 257 He looked at her with a warning and threatening ex- pression which made her pause. She began to read the riddle now ; and the knowledge gave her some little encouragement. Clearly he did not wish her to tell the baronet hU r«^ character; and this told her that his apparent in- difference to her presence in the house was the result of some calculated purpose. This gave her a ray of hope. If he was playing a double game, against Sir Edmund Landale as well as against herself, her own wits would probably soon show her a way to help herself. She must first see what knowledge the other man possessed. " How much do you know of what has passed between this-gentleman and myself ? Has he told you any- thing?" she asked sharply, turning again to Sir Ed- mund. "What is there that he should know?" interpolated Monult " What do I want to know ? That is the question. I care not a jot for anything he may have said to you or you to him. You are here. That is enough for me." "I begin to understand the position now," said the girl, quietly. " And it will not turn out as you think. My friends are neither fools nor poweriess." " They won't look for you in Sir Edmund Landale's arms, all the same," sneered de MonUlt. " You don't seem to understand the position, for all your words. No one knows that you are here. No one can possibly trace you here. No one can, therefore, look for you here. So far as others are concerned you have disappeared— that's all. Thousands of people drop out of sight in London every year— and there are thousands of reasons to ac- count for it What is one young woman more or less in MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART (ANSI and ISO TEST CHART No. 2) 1.0 I.I 1^ ■ 2.8 1" ■ 50 Mb Li JUm llii Li 1^ us Li 1^ l^ ■lUU 1.8 1.25 ^ /1PPLIED IIVMGE Inc Sr^ 1653 East Main Street r.S Rochester, New York 14609 USA JB (716) 482 - 0300 - Phor>e ^ (716) 288- 5989 -Fox ;.f 33 *;-; ii m ■ 258 The Heritage of Peril nlTo^Tutlt:^^^' Why, a thousand ^ight go and sank, for she knew there was plenty of truth in what he noi' SunTr^ll ""V f ^ "* '^' ^^y' P^^ ^"<1 y°" do You wni^ ..f °"^ ^ ''' ^°^" *° >^°"^ eccentricity. You W.1I not forget that once before you had to cut adrift all connections with your old life and make a plucky start ma new one. If once, why not twice. > Don't deceTve yourself. You can't be found here in this house and when the little splash of your jump into the ,^1 ^f ob scunty has subsided, and the surface is aU ^ ZZ you will be absolutely forgotten " ^ ' ever? asked Dessie. laughing incredulously. "We are not playing a melodrama, we three." " Nevertheless, you will not find it easy to escape," was he reply, coldly a.d deliberately spoken. " And'yiu are forgettmg one thmg. You are alone in the house, and there are no other women here. You can only leave it —more than compromised." minH *ir T'^' ?''''" '""^'^ ''^'"' She had had in her mmd the fear of personal danger only, and this other effect had escaped her altogether. She looked straight at Sir Edmund Undale Do you bear out this man's words? " she asked. He said nothing, and would not meet her eyes wiZ°h ^"^i:^^V '"^' " '^' ^"'^' ^'' h^rt inking withm her at his silence. " Have you sunk so low that you can contemplate the dastardly scheme of trying to force me to marry you by such a means as this ? " There was a long pause, in which he stood irresolute and uneasy under the steady look of her eyes. He looked In the Hand of the Enemy 259 up swiftly once but as quickly let his eyes fall ; and when he d,d answer .t was with a sort of sullen defiance whi^ was perceptible alike in his manner, tone and words vn„ ""!, T ^°" "^""'^ '^ ^"" ^'^ ^^ ^ything to win ) ou. and I meant .t. Any way that makes you give in to me IS welcome, and-you must give in now." Then heaven help you for a pitiful scoundrel," cried he giri desperately. " And mark this : I'll starve rather than yield to you. Ten thousand times sooner than be your ^^.fe I'll kill myself, and do it cheerfully." t^Jat Tl ^""^ "P ^^^ ^"^ ^°* ^^'■^s spoken now," rephed Landa e. " Nothing shall make me ^ve up no;, mdeed, when I have the whole thing in my hands." We shall see," answered Dessie. smiling as if in afraid. Perhaps you'll tell me what I am to do? ^hV','"^''^- ^^"'y jailer? What my jail food? laugh^'at ft " ^"^ '' '° "monstrous that I am compelled to " Nevertheless, you will find it no farce," said the Count de Montalt, angrily, "and no laughing matter." Nor you either," answered Dessie, resolutely " If I do not make all London ring with the infamv of this my pen has lost its cunning." '• People are not generally eager to write up their own defeat or their own dishonour. Wait," he said, with a malicious sneer. " It is not only my own defeat I should have to record " .Jh^^^Jt^''^"'', ^7 "P'*^'"'- ^'" y°" ff° to them?" said Sir Edmund, after a moment of silence " Do you mean will I go quietly or shall I require you to carry me?" asked Dessie. laughin^^. "It Lght be I I: r I I > 26o The Heritage of Peril Ui i It 'f .1 more melodramatic if I were to scream and struggle and force you to gag and carry me, as people would have to, say in one of my stories. But I prefer to look at the farce of the thing and walk. I presume that a day or two's reflection will show you the rank absurdity of this ridic- ulous conduct, or, at any rate, convince you that you had better make terms with me instead of being gibbeted all over London and in half the papers in the kingdom as the hero of a sort of illegitimate Jackson case. Which is the way? Show me." She stood tacing the two men pluckily, and laughing to hide the genuine dismay that she felt. The baronet opened the door and led the way upstairs, the Count de Montalt following close on Dessie's heels, as though to prevent any attempt at escape. But she was far too shrewd to make any effort of the kind. It would have been useless then. If she was to escape, it must be when the men were far less on their guard than at that moment. She entered the rooms they showed her without the least hesitation, standing a moment to make a rapid sur- vey. " Has it been the padded room of a madhouse? " she asked, with a laugh. " It might have been." This was true enough. The first was a lofty room, lighted from a skylight, and the bedroom, which adjoined it, with a strong door between them, was equally lofty, and also lighted from the top. Escape from such a place was absolutely hopeless was Dessie's first thought ; and this increased her fears. But she hid tfiem under the laughter of ridicule and indiffer- ence, " It will make an excellent study," she said, lightly, when her first question remained unanswered. " I sup- In the Hand of the Enemy 261 Tc^ie'''''^'^^'''^^'""^^"^- 111 ^n«y story walt^' " have but to ask and you can have everything you " Everything? Oh. then. I'll have my liberty olease " she said, in the same light tone. ^ ' "Everything but that." answered Undale. " You are yL p" "''"" "' ''' '^""' "^^ -" -^- -»»-* rr,Cf^ -^l '^''"' *"™ *^at ™an out of the room." she cried, pomtmg at de Montalt. who smiled; "and never let him enter ,t again. And do you follow him." wi.h?„" ^'' ^ ^1"'!^ ^"^' ^'^ ^"'■"°"'" ^^'d t»^e Count, ^ith an air of admiration. " and for once at any rate, you have but to speak to be obeyed. I must go. Can I take any message to my Dora?" .n?!hr'^^' ^"1 ^T^ '° ^''' ^'*h "^°<=k politeness, and then taking the other man by the arm, went out o «^e room with him. leaving Dessie in a condition of min- n ,IJ / ^'.^,f ^P^rture, impotent anger at her present phght, and rapidly rismg alarm on the score of possible consequences. ^ Could her friends find her? If „ot. what was to hap- penr »^ !; I 1 m il CHAPTER XXV FACE TO FACE While Dessie was thus plagued by her Hnnk. -i fears, matters were moving very fait Zll T L"^^ nant's return had been the s^^al fo T ^"' ^^'' action on the part of T^m S on. hTcoIII ZT''' Mrs. Davenant told him frankly and fi.riv .11 .1. . u l-new about de Montalt, disclosin'g wItS rL^e t ■nc-d^t, which had culminated in^he m^ti^gTh* self and Dess.e at Birmingh^u^ station. But she added say n^hC^""™ "' *' """'^' *°"8h the girl would "^t'suT?"" "" " "" '^'" ^«"'-» "''ed. " I tell you we spoke together about if «,»,«« t him at that infatuated womL's Lus^ Uer't L^'Z me that trick." ' ^^ "^ P'^^ed '' And he didn't attempt to deny himself? " Certamlynot. How could he? Instead of f I,, u ran away, leaving me the letter I have give^ you ^ ' '^ Can you guess why he bolted ? " way. He has two objects-to make that woman his wif"' a6t Face to Face 263 and so stop our mouths out of Dessie's regard for her- and secondly to get possession of the rubies-to frighten Dessie out of them." ^rignien " I think I see what to do," said Cheriton, after a pause of thought "I wish I could get up to town to Dessie. But wishing's no use. I shall wire a hint of the truth to someone who'll move heaven and earth to outwit the Frenchman. That's Vezey. the feUow who was gomg to marry the widow till the other man turned up. if anyone can ferret the two out, he will. ' With that he despatched a telegram to George Vezey. to his London address, telling him that he had found out the true history about the Count de Montalt. and ureing him to wire at once where Mrs. Markham was George Vezey was at Brighton when this telegram was delivered, and it was sent on to him by post. It reached him the next morning, and he replied at once tliat he had met Mrs. Markham and de Montalt at the station • she was staying at the Grand Hotel, and that, if the facts were wired him, he would see her at once. A telegram from Cheriton was the result, saying " His real name is Rolande Lespard; been tried and convicted for murder. Warn Mrs. M " With that telegram m his pocket, Vezey went to the Grand Hotel. He saw there was much restraint in Mrs. Markham's manner when she greeted him, and she made little secret that she was not pleased to see him. "I am very busy to-day, George." she said, "and I can t give you more than a few minutes. I really ought to have been ' not at home ' to you ; but I didn't want to " It's awfully good of you to be so frank " he an swered with a dry laugh. " But you needn't aX" el suppose that Count feUow keens you pretty .^11 to him' ii m i i«. t ;i ^^ *^4 The Heritage of Peril self, say, But r« go. so™. Ud „.ws for ,ou, r™ ,or,y to ;;rn,„oUheo„,,:^lHa.^X^;^'"»"-" ■nust tell the truih!" *^ *"■" >'''" '""ngs-but I loved. •• If you're fhiSV, '"" °' "" "»" ^h^ the Count de Monta t S t T?«' *"^'""8 ^S*'"" »y to his face. Zt^^ : ^'^'' 7"'* y-' "a^-t watched him cut of the town j suppose you've '^aJ^"^'I^r'ttr^^^5'^''"--Ve„y, I'ave come to'^J^LT yoXmX " *? '" ""' ' self the Count de MonS^"- b^r, L""', "'"' '^"'' ■"«- here. I'll wait till he com« K I ''" ' '"°'' •>« wasn't something tha, must be ?1 . .^ ' " '""' '"''• Only it's ••I lon't caretht'yoity^t"^.'"'"'" e.ther. for that matter," saMMr^M J ^' ^°" »>■ sumed indifference. "O^ti"! ' **"'''^' *'th as- for a slander; and if you „»t '' "^ ^.-'^ ™°*" by all means." ^ "*"' '° "^ anything, say it, youpu: rm^ir r rhat'?-T ^'^ "Icare nothing .hat youra;'ii;tht"d*e";'" Face to Face 265 " It's not what I say " " No. I suppose it's Mr. Tom aeriton " cried the widow, impetuously, with a sharp guess " He wo^M Jilted him. If you have no better authority for vour tvirct'r^^ ""' ^° '^y -^ ^-^ - If" oK. 7u , <^^e"ton. and you can do what vou like only no Count, but is a man who has had a most awful ."^^^^"/'"''^^^^^^ Mrs. Markham, laughing "What have I to do w th his past ? It is his f utur^e he';ives me not ^e past. What does your friend say next? '' ' Dora, you re a fool; a perfect little fool," burst out agam You must excuse me, I am very busy " I l«g your pardon. It's I am the fool. A confounded fool to care two straws about the matter at all B„, Fm not g»,„g to see you give yourself to a villain ifk" tha" and hold my tongue." "I will have you shown out of the room if you dare o say another word against the man I am going to mar " earth ''?.T "' '" ^'^ "^^"'^"^ -<^ Cheritons on the earth, and she stamped her foot in temper. Read this," he said, holding out the teleirram " T uous little spitfire, you must take the consequences." This IS my answer," she said; and she tore up the telegram into htcle pieces. " 1 won't believe any ^such S. 266 M i' \ ji I ,1 = The Heritage of P«ri] "f^- I'ttp'Sl^ghf^ b^^^ .^°-' -" you go away? the consequences. You are IL' "".l" "^* ^"^^«'' ^^^ a curl of the lip. "' "°^ ^^'on^r." she added, with woman could°weIl b^" o'TL^".. " ""S"""" as a you have me. I have wamTvor ? "" •■" '«"'«» « >hall now deal „i.h him 1 2 '• "" "" "" "«»»• I "Stop a minute. Ge" J ^r'"* '° ,"" •""«•" «'0,. laying a detaining ha„d JTh^"? ' "'«'«'•" "h* "on;, know what i, behind" hif I d^'";" "«•" y"" •Mde only the tool of a taW ^ou are being revenge for a disapwtoed 1. •"'°"^' ""^ »«>« »«« '"u2^rtre-L~-^^^^^^ You leave me and othe. ^olhoi^^ '» » ?■"»« vandal. vvnat do you want to do? " ht *, ■ndwision and instabil ty the „ ""' ^"'*"^ "« »« opposed by a resolute wyitTH*" "" ''"'"<' >>"«« that if there really waTli-vv °^™"«' 'o her now might unwittingly bX^*'"^*^'"" ^» 'over she V«ey to go to the police ""° '"'"''^ "-y Arcing ^: AH I ask is^X'e"!™ t^t "" »' "• thmg sifted. Let us face, h! """• "Havethi, «lf says. If we-re w :„ 'vouT """ "^ *■>« •■' Un- pack of meddlesome d2^ Tf „? "' ".' "'["""^ '°' " he saved from heaven onlv' h,Z u^''*' """ y" *"' Let us go back to LonSl^ ^a^^h =" t°'* °' ' '»"'«• caUs himself, face to face with us ""' "" '"'"''*■ " "^ f'acc to Face 267 ^ot to do it will fw. ; ' ''"^'^' "resolutely Markham was obi Jd ,0° t r"' ""^^'"'y "•"'> Mrs <" her wishing ,0 commuSte "th^^'' Ji"' '" "« "«" «o w-re to the hotel in Ln„T 7 ''' M<»«alt. she wa. Pfajined; but his doubts aro« in tffT '""P ''' ha"^ ^f sahsfied himself that I^'ie 'j.^ [°'[°^"e way. He l«r, and he knew that she Tol k ^"^ "'' J'**^'^ with out of the house at St Johnrw ^ ""*'''' """er to get «■«". there in any pb« wCfT* '"* '"""■ "^ '<> hWe find then, He knew, too^^ZthL"'""''' ""' "^ """« '<> chance of her agreeing to Sir £1' .'' "°' ""' «™t«t She would starve sooier An,f t T? ^""^''"^ '<=™s «■« safely in his power "" "' '* ""« <•« had her But he felt that he sure, and after getting rif of '?hrf' "'""'•'" """My force the jewels out o{D^,°J''' ''"''»« ■" some way '^- His rough plan ^Z ^^2' ""^'^ °' <^'°"' make the g,vmg „p of ,he 768 The Heritage of Peril M m In * mi W if rubies the price of Dessie's liberty ; and he did not doubt for a moment that she would pay it. To do that would take time, however, and he had al- ready been so long away from Mrs. Markham that he feared to cause her uneasiness or suspicion — a most unde- sirable thing at such a moment of crisis. But there was another and much more serious obstacle. Sir Edmund Landale, having got Dessie into his house, was not at all disposed to trust the charge of her to anyone else. He would not be persuaded to leave the place at all; and thus de Montalt decided to leave the getting of the jewels to another time. He went straight to his hotel, and found there the tele- gram from Brighton announcing Mrs. Markham's return, telling him that strange charges had been made, and ask- ing him to go to Edgcumbe Square. Instinctively he scented danger, and as quickly pre- pared himself to face it. A glance at his watch and at the time when the telegram was despatched showed him that he might yet be able to intercept Mrs. Markham at the station ; and a couple of minutes later he was being driven swiftly to Victoria. He must meet her alone if possible, as it was then that his influence could be best exerted. He attributed the present change to George Vezey; but he was confident that he could overcome any doubts which the latter might raise in the widow's mind. At the station he was beaten. A train was almost due when he arrived, and he waited for it. But there were no signs of either Mrs. Markham or Vezey ; and his ill- luck angered him. It was the train she was almost sure to have caught, and it was clear that she must have trav- elled by another route. He set this down to Vezey 's in- terference also, and cursed him for it. There was noth- Face to Face 269 He bit his moustache in ill teniocr an h* ^.« Of X'" a«''.';L''r"'' "' *" - '■"« '"e look ing wrung Wn,.r*^u,p^:.'"l''r£:7' »'',-''•• «>ged animal. ''"'"' "<»«' ''ke a one came to tell fi.'m «f 1, • .^^'^'^"am, but as no the serv». Uoi . ra, """" "' '""« """ '"'«' The answer startled him more than enough. Mr. Lhenton and a ladv sir • " »«^ X scarcely ended his reply beforrMrrJlu*"'" ^^ George Vezev arriv^ .1. T Markham and troubL, and bitted Hirtl."™" ""^ "<»^' "<' heard that Tom oier,^™ '^ "^^ '"""«<> "I"" »h« infinitely pl«;^ °""*°" "" """'"S- ^ut Vezey was a.,p H":r xrtnra,.*L^rHrr ^'-i «H^a„ expression that implied .rstrtg:;. '::;;:^', and Sthr.'"" """ "'^ ■ " ^'^ "^ •«"< "" hands 270 The Heritage of Peril M' "I can answer that best," said Vezey, interposing. " It's my doing. I went to Mrs. Markham after you had left Brighton, and told her I had heard certain things against you, and that she had better come back here and have it out face to face. At first she wouldn't, and only gave in when I said that if she didn't I'd go straight to the police and see what they had to say. She caved in then; not because she believes me, but to avoid a row." " It's very good of you to interfere," said de Montalt, with angry sarcasm changing into a threatening tone, " but I should like to know what the you mean by it." " I didn't believe a word of what was said, Godefroi, but you were not there and I didn't know what to do," wailed Mrs. Markham, shrinking from the wrath she saw on his face. " I'll tell you quite plainly what I mean by it," said Vezey. " I am told your real name is Lespard, and not de Montalt; that you are no more a Count than I am; and that not so many years ago you were tried for your life and convicted. Is that true ? " " Is this what has brought you up trembling and frightened all the way from Brighton, Dora? I am sur- prised." He spoke very gently, with an infinitely clever assumption of absolute indifference to the charge and a suggestion that what disturbed him was not the charge against himself, but the fact that she should have been troubled by hearing it. " Of course you didn't believe it; I know that. Never mind." Then he put his arm round her, as if to reassure her, and turned with an as- sumption of great dignity to George Vezey. " The im- pudent tale that you now venture to tell is quite beneath my notice. Mrs. Markham knows perfectly well where Face to Face 271 to rook for the source of it. You would have acted a more manly part had you come in the first instance to me instead of trying to frighten a woman." His assurance and manner produced a great effect on " It IS not my tale." he said, after a pause. " It is Mr ^o^!!! T h ^"u '^' '■°°"'' ^"^ '^^ ™«"e"t he was gone de Montalt threw his arms round the woman who hTptSr^^^"^'^ ^"' '^^^"^^^ ^° ''- -' '^-^^ intll'ep" " "'' ^"-*'^-'^?^' he asked, looking "Nothing on earth shall ever shake my faith. I care ea aHo'h" ' '" IT "^ '" ^'^ "^"^^^'^ -^h passfon as c!lL,v 'T' ?'" ^' ^*°"' "^*h her hand in his. :;aintL" ''"'' "^' ^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^- whispered tog^rr.^'''"'^"' ^"- ^'"'"^"^ ^^ Vezey came in " I am sorry to be here on such an errand, Mrs Mark ham, ' said Cheriton. " I am afraid it m«cf i,»o^ u ^ t airaid it must pain you to hear what we have to say." j-^" i" " If it is anything against the Count de Montalt Mr Cheriton. you will find me an unwilling listener" said Mrs. Markham. stoutly. ' ''It is nothing against the Count de Montalt," said Cheriton. emphasising the name. "It is aeain t Ro ^ande U3pard, the man whose hand you are hSg, and Tard aLT ''""'' "P"" ^°"- «^ '^ Rolandf Les- pard and five years ago was tried and convicted of the murder of his uncle, old Paul Duvivier." ]:: 11 m Ml *72 The Heritage of Peril " I ««. prove it," said Mrs. Davenant. " I „», nresent when he was arrested, and when I was •> "^ present? Mrs. Markham suggested by her manner of npZ^' """""^ *"' ="' ■"'" «« -swer™h:r ■' It is not a pleasant story, but I am prepared to tell it I do not want to hear it, thank you. I know Lueh of the facts to more than satisfy me of your mX to "I IH' ^.•^'"'' ™°"«'' '° '"'' "« hdy away." sw;xi.ttsi':L;r ' '° -^ -'--•• - There was a pause of much awkwardness, and before anyone broke the silence a servant knocked J tn^e :" A lady wishes to see you. mum." began the man when the door was thrust open wide and Daptae Mar-' low m her nurse's uniform, came in quickly. I Will speak for myself," she said brusquely to the servant and while he left the room all the re'st bokcd at her with profound astonishment. CHAPTER XXVI daphne's story No one was so keen I v «,« ^ .^ Daphne Marlow as tlTa>JT7''J^' "" '""^c. of not allow himself to be suT h' "°"'"'- «"' he did tha, tfie sisters woXtlT""!';'"" "' """ '"««" ««tioii with Mrs. Marlcham ^ . , •" """" "^ommuni- was likely enough ,tet^I^V°^^ '.'' ™"'»S'' ""O " first place her sister would I^JT ^"^ ""' ''""">«<'■ *« Markham's. But heTartv^ ^" "°"''' "« « Mrs. come because it w« SI^hV"' >- «nwel- course rapidly, and as he had alUh. ? *" "^^ ^" necessary to enable him to iud„ ^ ""' """ich were -evitably happen, held o^t^ """I "°" "'"'>=• -™ - Daphne had entered Ztm "°'™ """"^ " ■■" Hert:,r:,™r ."T'^ "''^- •• '"e said, my coming in unam,ounced' mad=!^" l ? J°" '° P*"'™ nrgent and so unusual fha. T^ ,7' "' "" "*«" ■» » " Ti/r- n* '*'*«auai tnat 1 could not wait " Miss Merrion is not heri» wwT asked Mrs. Markham who .1 f^-^* ^° ^^^ »"«an?'' bad part. She Sd"ed hTrV m T^"^^^'^" '" ^eiy and came forward to ^e^^^^^^^^^ '' ^^^ fount's hand " I learn fhof v, ? ^^ "^^ <^omer. Dapfinlr-a:?..^''^- ;-,^« h-, either," said -«wd,yatth.o.h™-c^---t-r^^.r «73 m 1 1 -ni 'f f 274 The Heritage of Peril she added: " I have much to say that concerns him, and perhaps we had better be in private." Tom Cheriton took in the situation instantly. " You can speak before us freely. My name is Cheri- ton; Miss Merrion is my affianced wife; Mrs. Davenant and Mr. Vezey are here on much the same errand as yours. We have just cold Mrs. Markham that that man is not what he says, the Count de Montalt, but Rolande Lespard, a convicted felon. If you can give additional proof, do so at once." Daphne looked across at de Montalt fixedly during a long pause; and he returned her look with equal steadi- ness. " He will not deny himself to me," she said, quietly, " and if he does, it will be useless. He knows that. It is not more than a few hours since we met in Bessie's rooms, and he knew that I had resolved to r,un the risk of exposing him." " Godefroi ! " The cry came like an appeal in pain, and Mrs. Markham looked from one to the other in the deepest agitation. The statement that he had been in Bessie's rooms moved her more than all the charges. " You vowed you would trust me," he answered. " I swear to you there is some horrible mistake. All these people are mistaking me for some other man. Bon't you believe me? " He went to her side and took her hand, pressing it feverishly. " Yes, I believe you," answered the woman, yielding at his touch. " Then let us clear the house of these slanderers, whose sole object is to malign me for their advantage, and so to try and part us." He made as if to lead Mrs. Markham out of the room, but Baphne quietly stepped in front of the door. ^phne's Story to be baulked in this «,„„„,/ ""^ ""' "=«"« "1"= false with me now I willCt 1 /?". ^'""'P' «° P^y of thepojic^^ou ■LrrwrtS"" '■"- "- -"""^ force "'..°"" "' "" -^•" he cried angrily, "or ril DaX'.s"S;"'^TS;f »• g"-^ quickly ac^ss to You are not alone w^^h "° ''"' "' '°^« here. ""St see ttet there rlrr™- u"' *'"'<'«"'• ^o" or I can understand aTyTt" ^°" ^'" ""^ ""-er ^ou II i cannot leave a mnm :« please, Mr. CheritoL whT, 7 °™ ""o-^ "h™ I widow, now veo-^^^' "" ' '» *'"k"' said the ^.^t^^x ?a"d"';:;:keTL°ss"" .r "■ »°«- ■•«- Cheriton.'-KeepTMr k : ' '"""' "" ''^ '° -id is said inTh;:'r^m.^\TS Tad"-"'"" "^^ '° >« door being broken open s«d for ^h'' 'T' ">"" "" Unt constable that come tm take ou^ ^ ':''""' ""= prisoner." '"* "'" ™t man as his .es^re^nndireicrwa'h" ''"'" ^'' -'' '-"- -es^'klTth^hourfr^ 1'' T"" '° *^' ^«" ">-- and with a'^^ne^r « b1h£ r ""'f'" "' ^'^ "^'-'y to .el. us a story andl^^k s alir™ mak """^ *'f " audience IV no special objec^on U'TT '"1°^"" humour this sort of madnesTv"' heard cf ^I'm" s« by me and let us be amused t^Wher >^ ' u"""?' ityou wshtosav' Pi.«. " ;°g«ner. Now, what s ."ickly, and th^^o h^ra^lL;;/"^ '^^ *' -^o"-- 276 The Heritage of Peril ' ■•'■ t J ! ■ . ' 1 HmI ' ' ■J .1 . i u i / 1 i ' m The ineffable impudence of his manner was indescrib- ably galling but it had no effect upon Daphne. " I am prepared to tell the whole story, if you arc pre- pared to listen," she said quietly. ''I cannot understand you at all." cried Mrs. Markham. m dismay and perplexity. " That man and I are old associates, Mrs. Markham. In years gone by I lived a life aU wildness and wrong and he was my companion and backer." "I care nothing about what happened years ago." said the widow, holding fast by her love and faith. It climaxed in a deed that made all England ring with sensational horror-a deed of blood. I was held guilty of It, and he committed it. Knowing that I should have the greatest difficulty in proving my innocence I fled and from that moment changed my life. I became what you see by my uniform I am-a nurse, Nurse Moriand. He hid as well, and took with him some of the ill-gotten proceeds of that crime; he forced them from me by threats. The chief of them were three rubies of priceless value-the Rubies of Rohilkund. For these a large re- ward was offered, and I know that he carried them about Willi him for some time, afraid or unwilling to get rid of them. During the time he was thus hiding he went to the home of an uncle, Paul Duvivier, in the Southwest of France, and from motives of greed murdered the old man in his Sieep. He was suspected, but for the time escaped and returned to England." " All this is nothing to me. I don't believe it " said Mrs. Markham, impetuously. " I believe you are all actuated by wrong motives against him. I won't believe it." " It is all capable of proof in ten minutes' time," was the deliberate answer. " In England, though under what Daphne's Story 877 Circumstances I do not know i. one in the Midlands ;ldl,Il7"' T"" "" *'* «»"■« arrested on an «.-ad,tL, vlr^.T^' ""'" "' *- ""• rdl^t^'J"''-"' »" -"• """'" "' "'" *idow. dete J«d no, re" dit'l '" "f' I' •""'"^•' "«= "ave heard ol i, alread^o^lX" ' "' '^''- " ' If you will be oatien. » „ ^' *« 'ru*. When ZZrl^^' T™ ^°" ""' «' rion '• *• "'"' took place, Dessie Mer- -nd the n-ea^Hf fr;e";™V™ "'" ■"•""- « " a proof that he knows M * "'°'»*nt. By itself word I utter. Dessie w^ on hi T ""' '""" °' «ery warned tfie n«n's com^^Z''? l'"™' "« the arres" and induc«i her to T ,°IJ""" ''»'' 'ak™ place, women exchanged hand'h»<~ . / T'""""' *« 'wo into hers, she found feS.^ "'"" "«'"' '°ol">• She did not ;^ofwfa"tT" ™""'"^'^ ■''<'- ev«,tually locked them upTa ° fe° Z^ '^«"' and Company here in London Th.„ 1 T* "" "^Posit her ever since." ^""y ''ave been a burden to Ch':,S; whotad" sCed^n"' '° *' ■»"" ^ " ""«' breathless interest. "" P*" °' "•« "0.7 „i,h " For two reasons. Her ™.™ 1, a^d with it a letter sayineshn!!? T '""""^ *° >-" ;n *e one which she haf Seen ^ Ifr^" '^"^"'"g things as she would see the w^v, ^'' "■=«?« ""^h again, if ever she dar^to cZ !!! '""""' "^^ *° ^ave was the main reason. She trflv"- ,^'" *' =«»"<' o-vil associations and su^ordintlii:^"-^^: 278 The Heritage of Peril ! '■] Hi I'-'-U m lift \i t^ 44-^ a new start in a new name ; and she felt that if she had to stand the fire of any inquiries, the whole opportunity of the new chance would be shut. She preferred silence — and, I say, preferred it wisely." " How do you mean — a life of evil surroundings ? I have never heard a word of this," said Tom Gieriton. " Prudence again, I suppose," ejaculated the Count, with a sneer. " Probably she put off the telling for the same reason we all put off the doing of unpleasant things — and she put it off until too late. But let me go on. She put these jewels away, expecting never to hear any more of the matter, and certainly never to see the man again. But she was wrong. You know what her life has been for the last four or five years, Mrs. Markham, for you were her chief friend. You can judge then of her horror when, in the man whom you were to marry, she recognised the Rolande Lespard who had been convicted of the cruel murder of his uncle." " She said nothing to me," said Mrs. Markham. " For years the mere thoug^ht of the man had been a terror to her, and for the moment she was at a loss what to do. Then she resolved to tell Mr. Cheriton the next morning. But before she left here, you will remember, she had a long interview with the man himself. She told him pluckily that she recognised him, and warned him not to come here again. After that she went to find you, Mr. Cheriton ; but you had been called away, and she was thus left alone to fight this man single-handed; and it is no surprise that he beat her." " Beat her? How could he do that if this extraordi- nary tale be true?" exclaimed Mrs. Markham, with in- dignant disbelief. "For reasons that do credit to that villain's skill," Daphne's Story 279 ■XS"'"'^: «'::.ti■'"■^^'-'•■'« »'«>» or her veo- house. Do you emS '° ""^ "" '" ""» and broken? ThiTL?" 7 '"" °' "=» >«!»« spilt in the analysis Then h? 1- "."'' "^ ''^'^ "- P'°of night, to try L„J Ti ''"'''"' ''" "^'" here that nf failed-Mrv7«v ,.?"""","' '"^ '"''""ed tea. that-but he fourn'c "eto",? 'f ^°". ^°"'«'''"« "' reality the possessor V he jewels The " '"' r '" been searching for and th™ ■ *°™" ""e had 'hat there wa! so.e "i ' V^Iife 'r'^ '°"^"'^'°" rooms, ransacked her paoer ZJ , ' ^ «^'" '"'° •■'' to show him her identhv H t T £""1 '""* ™°"8'' other help from a c^l^i,, T "f °"''''ee and some you did not attempt to dl^ ! "^^^ ^^'^ y"^^*'- " Nevertheless. thXus7lZ'''T'''''" "«moved. "I can explain 'he whni *'"™'^^' ^^^'^^ Cheriton's complete satisfaction a "" '"*"*^" *° Mr. . " No time like the p IstT^ ' "ft"'" '"^^ *° ^° «>•" 't .before we leave th'e ?.^"^ >>'''' ^°"^ ^^^-to". " Do I shall never beTffenlV /^LtT ^ ^°"' ^^^ ^^'^t not take your eyes off me untn7/°" ^^^' ^""^ "<^<^d ^^ "I can trust mysdf so L " 'aid To'' '^t"' ^^"•" the door. "' **'^ ^om ; and he opened " In less than an hour I shall Iw. k, 1 ,^ Montalt to Mrs. Markham 'L^ Jf ' ^'^•" ^"'^ ^' be freed from this canaille " f^ ? ^' '^** ^* shall between his teeth. *" ^°'*^^*^^ tbe word from "Mr. Cheriton, you will np«.ri ,11 never more treacherous th^ u ^°"' ""'''• ^^ « I)aphne.wamingly. ^YouraH^;;.? complying/' said " You shall have them wh.nT '""■ ^^^^ *^^ Po''ce." A cab was fetched ^^1^ '^^""^ '" ^^'^ ^^^ Montalt. Montalt with a profus"' o5 r^ret^r '''' ''''''''''' '^ away from Mrs. Markham for fyZj^'u *'*""^ ^'""''^^ word was a pledge of honour to »!^k.°"' ' *"^ ^'^ last But he had already made «„ u ^ ^'*'^'" '^' ^°^'- set his foot insideTtr^r ' h\'' ^°"'^ -- was beaten; and he knew no^that .^f '^ ^'^'" ^^ Mrs. Markham was concerned Th.l " ^' marrying He ceased to stavnTrlre ^77'^ ""^^'^ '^^ -aming course that w;s o^n to h." "' ''^ "'^ ^ He mtended to shake off rl • forSt.John's wj ge^Lruh^'r ""' '"^^^ ^ ^«b laugh at those who .f^loL^t:^ o^ ''"^'^' '^"^ ''^ 282 The Heriage of Peril It was quite dusk as the cab rattled along the Bromi> ton Road, and the two men sat side by side in stolid si lence ; de Montalt thinking quickly as to the best mean; of getting rid of his companion. Fortune favored him. When the cab reached Hyd( Park Comer there was a block and a crowd caused by i street accident. The cab stopped, and Cheriton, in hi: eagerness to see what had happened, rose from his sea and holding by the rail of the splash board, stood up t( look out. Watching his opportunity, de Montalt grabbed thi reins as they hung in the fronts pulled them with a violen jerk on the horse's mouth, and so caused the animal t( start back suddenly. At the same instant he put all hi strength into one vigorous thrust, and pushed his com panicm off the cab into the road, where he staggered an< nearly fell. He recovered hiniself in a moment or two But it was too late. The cab was empty. De Montalt had sprung out 01 the other side, and dashing in among the people, was los sight of directly among the surging, heaving crowd. V.' mm. CHAPTER XXVII WITH INTENT TO MURDER The elation which de Montalt Mt »♦ »,, • of hi, pC ' ^ "' """" P""°" " *« failure grew upon him that the chief clZ, Z » "'"•'«'" who had fir,, horded him h .nag. c« Lr.^''.'^[i upon her. If it had not btn, f„, n *^?""^*"'""«' '•«« have robbed him of Tcet „1 ^"'••"""''"K "uld ."spicion of hir,^! ?d™ t'v T T" "'"'* '«"' » "^inM.eentmtr.fiiru'nC'''"^ '"'"* -- P.»»o«.o.a.eSr.e.,.,reUX.^^^^^^^^ Jnn^hpi^'r-^'"^^^^^^^^^ - s.^ for hi, own cHme, '^^^ Z^^J^::^^^ There wa, one difliculty. He had tried to get Sir Ed- m 2*4 The Heriuge of Peril »UM tlunk of a ruse to effect that, the rest would be Ly Bv,J not, tfie nun n,nst take hi, chance of what h.^ He turned this problem over and over in his thouehts self had met with a veo- serious accident, and had made a most myortant discovery, which must be disclosed to lir Etound at once, if he would come to the hotel He thought round this very shrewdly, and mentallv app™v«l the plan. He would send off the teleg,^ foN low m person as quickly as possible, and thus watch the ba,on_e, out of the house. If the bait was taken the coTst would be clear for at least an hour, and in that tto^e could do everything. thinl!*/"* "'"P^"^'''"^ 'he telegram he had to do two n lunng the baronet away, and a much more critical mat- Me? "S""" '"' **"' "" "•«'" I"™ *° «<> » the ruse failed. He was not a man to stick at half measures He orTii*3'j'"r'"" ""° "'' P°-«- ^ f"> -ea" ". othrpts.'" ^"" ""^ '"'''' ■"' "^ « *« '»"- trii^"" '"7 "" '""5'" * '•*™'''" »"<" » •■"dful of car- ^J^L'^ '" '"°*" " '°"«' "K'y-'ooking knife. I, might be dangerous to use firearms, he thought As soon as he had completed the purchases, he jumped his hotel, and from there he sent off the decoy teleerara for the"Sh *" '™""' " *" """ ■"'«"' ^ "Xhole h! l,»H ? J n ' rP'"°"' *° °-«P i" : »>i««ge, and search for *I '" "''' """"^ '^ '"e house. " "" "»■"« ""d number of the He watched him deliver it ,nA again, and go back the way L^d '*" """ ~"" <«" anns and whistling loudly °""'' '""Png his «he direction of Z to^ ''"' "' * ^"'^ Pace in histir^pi.«,rosr^rH:tdtr"'^«''-''- drive to .he front door, J^r^i^m^' »f «!-P .«- patiently for the door to be ooened H. ^"^ '"" to work. He had much to dH^' ? T "«" "> «« it in. An hour at th. . °"'^ ' "«'' «"» to do floundering teck with VeT' ,T" """"^ ^andale fooled; and P^bkbTy w ,h J^°"'L"'«',''"' ■« ^ad been Cheriton wen. on ,0 Ae 1,^^ '^""^"^^ 'han 'hat if able. "" ''°"'' « "as exceedingly prob- He could hear i.c^lg in ,^1','"'"' ""'' "^°™''^'^- hu. stai no one came S <^ .t i "f f? °' *' •■°"«. to guess the trnU, ^^ ' ^'- ""^ then he began wa^atL^^relinrVT' -" ^'■•' me house. His heart beat with 286 The Heritage of Peril w exhilaration at the thought; and a minute later he re- solved to break into the house. He went to the back of the house to find a weak spot by which to get in. All the windows were fastened ; but he was too old a hand to be stopped by a check of that kind. Selecting c»ie of the smallest, he passed the thin long blade of the knife between the sashes, and with a dexterous movement unfastened the catch and opened the window. Thus, in less than a couple of minutes he was inside the house, and having fastened the window again was feeling his vfty through the gloomy passages and kitchens to the staircase. He crept up very silently, looking on all sides warily to satisfy himself that no c»ie was about, and when he reached the hall he stepped quickly to the front door and shot the bolt, a smile of sardonic satisfaction passing over his face. " Those who are out can stop out," he muttered ; and then as soon as he had made a rapid survey of the rooms on that floor he mounted the stairs quickly to the room where Dessie was shut in. Before attempting to enter that, however, he went into every room in the upper por- tion of the house to make sure the place was quite empty. Everything was as still as he himself could have wished it, and it was with an assurance of success that he turned towards the door of Dessie's room. But at that point he met with a check. The key was not in the door, and in the rapid search he made, he could see no trace of it. Time was valuable, and he cursed this piece of ill luck as likely to cause some delay. He first tried suasion, and knocked at the door. No answer came until he had repeated the knock more than once, his impatience showing in the increasing force with which he rapped. With Intent to Murder 287 '^Who is it— and what do you want?" vol'l^'r.^j!'"^^""* ^^ ^°"^''- ^ '^^^^ ^^^'"e to set you at liberty. " Thank you, I'd rather stay where I am, with the door oetween us, than come out to you." " I have come expressly to set you free." " I don't want freedom at your hands " "Open the door." " Not on any consideration." "You had better." " Your threats are all one with your wishes. And be mrthem '^^""^ ^""' ' ^""^ '^ ^°" ^^'^ ^° *'^ ^°''*^^- ^ ^^^" tiZ''^T\u' Tu^" "° ''^^^- '* ^^^ "° "^^ wasting to break the door m. and this was no easy matter He was a man of great strength, but though he pressed agamst ,t with all his force, it withstood him. however much he stramed. In those efforts several valuable min- utes were lost. for^r.r/"'^"'*^'" '*'""' '° "^'^ "^^ ^°' «<^"^e tool to force the door or some wire to pick the lock ; and his ex- citement now began to increase, as he thought of the time The hunt in the lower part of the house cost him several more mmutes until at last he found an old tool chest. A long iron chisel was among the contents, and with an exclamation of satisfaction, he seized it. and ran upstairs Very little work sufficed then to force the door, and as But the room was empty. " Miss Merrion, Miss Merrion," he called. 288 The Heritage of Peril 4 ,1 f £ It ill!^- There was no response, and the place was in complete darkness. He called again, and then listened intently. No one answered ; but he heard the sound of someone moving in the next room, and then he remembered, what for the instant had slipped out of his thoughts, that there was an inner room. The girl was no doubt there. He struck a light for a moment to see the position of the door, and then went and rapped smartly on it. " What do you want ? " came Dessie's voice through the door. " I want to speak to you." " Then speak," she answered. " There is no one else here." " Come out ; I have news for you. I tell you I h^ve come to set you at liberty." "I repeat, I prefer to stay where I am. Why are you alone?" " Sir Edmund Landale has had to go away." "You are not speaking the truth; and I know now that you are here for some black purpose of your own. He told me before he left, not half an hour ago, that he was going out. But you evidently know nothing of what has passed since you left the house. The door you broke in was locked on the inside. He himself gave me the key, as a proof that he will not harm me. He has given me also a revolver to shoot him if he tries to molest me. So I know you are lying, and if you dare to come near me you must take the consequences. I'll open the door as soon as I hear Sir Edmund Landale's voice, and not before." De Montalt's reply was an oath breathed into his mous- tache, and a vigorous attack upon the second door. It was soon half open, and then he began to show cau- tion. m With Intent to Murder 289 shocking hun, though he was not much afraid of her skill. 1 can open the door at any moment, now," he said ^d rrin'" the menace into his voic; that' he co" d' And I m m no mood to be trifled with. But I'm in a hutry Hand out those rubies and I'll let you off " I haven't them," said Dessie. ^2 /*°"'\^"*^« y°"- They were on you when you came here, I know that. Will you give them up? " "^ I have given them to Sir Edmund Landale; and if h^T' I "^ ^'^ ''^^ ' «^°* t^^"^' ^"se I "leant him to understand your reasons for trapping me here and deceiving him." At that moment the bell of the front door was rung venrjunously. and the clanging of it travelled up from tu™ J f/r^ v.^ i^' °^""' °^ *^" ^°"^^ ^ho had re- turned, to find the door barred against him. Obviously what had to be done must be done at once. Ctae violent wrench with his weapon completed the work on the door and it was open; but Dessie'had pi ed every article of furniture that she could drag or lift ceiveTth!''h^ ' '''""^' "^^ "'"^ '"^^ ^^-<=^-- Per- ceived this, his rage passed all bounds. He broke out h,to a loud volley of threats and oaths, jerking them out as he strained and struggled to force his way into the rcLm. Sntl ^' ^ J u^°" ^ ^^" '^^ ^t^"^^ to Sir Edmund Landale, and he has them now." inZT ^'^^- "^''^ ^''"' ^' ^y '^''" "^""ered the in- funated man in reply, as with a most vigorous effort he i' 'iL i ll 1jl^ JiiJn m *90 The HeriUge of Peril g^. noi"e "'■■* "" ^''"'^f '» *« ^o«nd%ith . ^ a plain ^'ar.^^r he *S' "' *""" """''"""^ He was now so enraged at this trick, and by the wav in wh,ch Dess.e continued to keep out of his Jlo tZ hu usual cahnness deserted hi™, L the ™adS t^v« nttX ■"" '" """" " "*""' "^ '■™ "*»^ -- n,o"ster'a^Htv " f '?• '""• «"""'"« *' «■<■' of Ws moustache and biting his hps in perplexity. Then loos- ed ^knt aid ^"^ """'' "* "^^^ "•- ^^'"^s and knees and b^n a systematic search of the room making as little noise as possible He had explored half th» room in this grim search when a no.se at the other end of the room !vThe^^ But he could not find her, and when he stood to listen Then he guessed he had been tricked, and that Dessie had purposely n.ade the noise, probably' thrtl'g^^! thing across the room, to distract his attention. >Ued th a sent B:ht, x>ni ent. f/ a ght :ely ' in his ent Ml- lis )S- ds ra, id ± )r t», 4 [ i '■ . IS i i i i The flash of a revolver almost blinded him. y-a With Intent to Murder 291 With another curse at her cleverness he b.2;an his search again, vowing under his breath that if he found her — and find her he would — she should pay with her life for all this. Inch by inch he crept across the floor, the deadly intent growing stronger in his thoughts with every moment that passed, and at every step he took he stopped to listen, and to stretch out his hands on all sides of him. When they touched anything he felt it carefully, and did not let go until he had thoroughly satisfied himself that it was no part of the girl's clothing and no place where she could possibly hide. Now and again he would stop and listen with the utmost acuteness to catch a sound of her breathing. It was a scheme sure to succeed ! the end, and pres- ently the hands, gliding out slowly on all sides of him, touched something which moved. It was Dessie's foot ; and instantly his grasp tightened on it, while he uttered an exclamation of devilish pleas- ure at his success. But as suddenly he let go, for the flash of a revolver almost blinded him, and a succession of the girl's piercing screams for help rang through the still house. J-ae i f -- 'ft * • CHAPTER XXVIII A GRIP OF DEATH «c resolved tnen on a more desrM>r9f« «i— « b«ck., but could no. find it. He cT.^ ^ tl^ acne. whi.. Hi, „i„d wI^TorCra^LfDl^ri.^t trarr.td'iieX '° ^^ "- ^-' - And at this moment fortune favored liim. upon the g,rl, who was standing in a comer oresVed ZZ.' "•" "•' "''"'' -^ -« «" «.. cur^ of '9> A Grip of Death 393 **At iMtl " he cried as, one hand seized her, while hit other arm was flung round her, to prevent her using the revolver which he knew she held ready to shoot him down. Cautiously ho felt for the hand which held the pistol, and finding it he wrenched the weapon from her grasp and flung it away. Dessie meanwhile sending up cry after cry for help in loud piercing tones. " Silence, you devil," he cried, forcing her two hands together and holding them in an iron grip, while with the other hand he tore down the curtain and half smoth- ered her in it in order to stifle her cries. Then he felt for his knife ; and a loud imprecation burst from his lips when he discovered that it was gone ; that he must have dropped it in the course of his crawling search on the floor. " Will you give those jewels up? " he cried, between his teeth, emphasising his question with another oath ; which was repeated when the girt made no answer. He shook her violently, and then found she had fainted from terror. There was nothing to fear now from getting a light, so clasping her tightly in one arm he struck a match and held it a moment over her face, while he scanned it closely rnd savagely, and then glanced round for the gas bracket. He carried her to it, her body all limp and flaccid, and her head lying helpless on his shoulder, and lit the gas. But the next instant he dropped the giri, who fell hud- dled up in a heap on the floor and turned to face Sir Ed- mund Landale, who burst open the door and came rush- ing impetuously into the room. "What are you doing here?" cried the baronet in a loud voice. ' That is my aflFair," was the answer; while the French- 294 ^■""lln ■ u' ^B mil lli ^H w s ^ -' S 1^ ^^^^^H ^^1 S 1'^' ■J ii! The Heritage of Peril min's hand went instantly to the pocket where Uy hit revolver. Undalc seeing the movement guessed its meaning, and without another word sprang upon the other man before he had time to draw his weapon. A fierce and terrible struggle began, in which each man knew his life depended on the issue. Sir Edmund Undale had not at first seen Dessie and believed that she had either escaped or been killed; but just as he grappled with his antagonist, his eye fell upon her where she lay huddled together and motionless, and the sight filled him with added fury and nerved him to strain every possible effort. He thought she was dead, and that de Montalt had killed her; for reasons he could guess, as Dessie had told him some of the story ; and the thought lent such strength and impetuosity to his attack that, though he was the weaker man, he bore the other back, force i .him to tiie ground, and fastened his fingers on his throat. With all his faults he loved the girl with all the strength and passion in his nature; and the belief that de Montalt had deliberately duped him to get him out of the house so that Dessie might be left at his mercy, and that he had broken m to wreak vengeance upon her in this cowardly way. acted like an intoxicating draught and made his able^^ ** irresistible for the moment as it was ungovem- But de Montalt on his side had strength, and vastly greater skill as a fighter. In courage he was his assail- ants equal, in wariness, his superior; and when the first fury of the baronet's furious onslaught had spent itself the issue of the fight was as certain as anything could be.' He let the baronet exert himself to the utmost and pour away prodigally the strength and breath that by and by A Grip of Death 295 when the final iiissle came, would probably cott him his life. The Frenchman did little more than render his assailant's attack as little harmful as possible, while he gathered his energies for an effort with which he meant to decide the issue of the fray. Gradually and quietly, and with absolute coolness, he gauged the limit of Landale's strength and power, and made ready to defeat him. Little by little he shifted his position until the man who was gripping his throat with hysterical and feverish vehemence was forced into a pos- ture which rendered him liable to be hurled aside; and as soon as he had judged his distance and position, with the wariness of a practised wrestler, de Montalt got ready for the coup by which he meant to get the other at his mercy. But before it came, an incident happened which affected both men, and had Landale had a weapon of any kind in his hand would probably have given him an immediate victory. The fall and the subsequent noise of the fight roused Dessie from her swoon, and with a great effort she struggled up into a sitting posture. She was dazed at the furious fight which she saw, and in confusion she fol- lowed her woman's instinct, and b^an to scream with all her power. The sound once more nerved Landale to fresh efforts, for his weaker muscles were already beginning to tire, and gave such an irresistible impulse to his attack that, for the moment de Montalt was borne back again. It was only for the moment, however, and the next instant, gathering his strength, he tore the Englishni <.'s hands from his throat, and thrusting him violently over, he forced him onto his back, and kneeling on him, held down his head with one hand, while with the other he drew *96 The Heriuge of P„U out his revolvpr m- Had"^v*'l^!*'«lt^«^f r --» ■"O caused herself should l^dLZm"! """"' '*"« '» had^rrrhl^^^^'J,-!;- '-«'" «,e French^ «de her, and JlZ7nZ sh'T 'T' "^^ ^»« "«■ and went close to where th?; ""'««'"' '° '«'■ '«'• death struggle Z" ull "■" ""' '■"»' revolver she fiVed ' *'""'*" *" ''°><«»g his mar-'s arn, dropped and hu^^ b" Us fde ' "' *° he^.°:sitsto^rt^irr--«^'- Dessie with his left h^d bZT' a^ '"""'^ ^° ^'"^^^ Landale saw his L^e 3^?^,^^^^^^^^^^ moment, and snatching up the^evolvtr^ v u f ^'' '" ^ he levelled it and fired. ' '^^'''^ ^^^ ^*"«»' The Frenchman fell wifh , ^ and bleeding at the very f'^ofth^^^^^ \'^ '^^ h^'Pless sought with such relemle" i j;' ^^^ "'^^^ «^^ ^<= ^^ Are you hurt, Dessie?" asked r^nw,i br^th after his fearful exertLs '"''' ^^'^^ ^- No, thank God; and you?" " wl !.°7k"' ^' ^°"^^ *^^^^ '^'"ed us both We had better get a doctor " •- r TT^' practically. ^*°'^' ^P^'^^ Dessie, very A Grip of Death 297 " There is no one else in the house. Will you go, or shall I? rheie is one in the street, about ten doors to the right, on thi. side." ]', ^'^' ^' "., ^ ^^^' '■" "°' ^^*" '° ^ ^^°"e with him." " You will iiave to be careful what you tell the doctor." "The truth is the best. The man attacked me in this room, broke in to rob the house, and then tried to murder me. There is no need now to say why I was here. You came back in time, and this happened." When the doctor came, a brief examination showed him the extent of the mischief. " He will die," was the verdict. " There is internal hemorrhage. Nothing on earth can save him, but he may linger hours, and perhaps days. Shall he go to the hospital?" " No, he can stop in the house," said Landale. " Send in nurses, and do what can be done. I will have the place put in order." The doctor was discretion itself; accepted what was told him, asked no questions except such as were neces- sary to enable him to judge of the " case," and went away to make preparations. "What are you going to do, Dessie?" asked Sir Ed- mund, when the doctor had gone, and they were both collected and recovered from the effects of the fearful scene through which they had passed. " I am going. You scarcely expect to detain me here after this," she answered, a little sharply. " Shall I send you home? " " No, thank you, I have had enough experience of your carriages. Your coachman can't find the way I want to go- "As you please. Let me say one word, however. I have done with the past once and for all. T swear to you. m m \' '■ i I n The Heritage of Peril it 298 You saved my life to-ni^ht anrf T •., you will let me that I am^g^ateful'' "" ''''' '' ^^^ '^ You cannot help me " faid n« • . nian upstairs has broCmv 1 ? T' ^^^* ^^^t<^h ^ For all the store I TetTyT hi' ^"^ "^^^'n^ can help me. it." ^y '^' ^^ "I'eht as well have taken JJ, shall see CheHton and tell him eve^hin, I Have your own way/'*"^ ^'^^ '° '"^'"""fi^ ^o" happier-and in She made no replv hnf tu^ l ^;» sj'e was inc Jed^o beitf ^^^^^^ " ''" P'--<^ »^er. wdeed sincere. ^^ *^^^ "^w at last he was She drove at firsf m i,^- »*e knew mu^.t^pteT::^: ""'" '° ''"-' «"•« want. The place «,«;„/ '* *""'«>' »" her ac- «>>. had hgh.ed the^The tnT' '"r"' -"^ ""^ «nbbled line from ^ph„e 'vta^ ™ V*= '^''le a hastily M'^kham's, and asInn7Se\'\' ^^ «»« to Mrs". when she returned. '" '"""w immediately D«sie ran down asain .1, ^ «o drive her asTas^^^^ f 7^°-- »" '<"« her cabnun She did not understand whatlul ^''* Kensington. « »he had intended to «, to Sr, T'^' ""^'- >>« event, to carty ,he news oMhf st«n. """"'^ " ^^ afternoon and evenine^ «hV ^* occurrences of the the cab with a f^Z/of^^ZtT:^ '" ''^" >»* '« even,„g air on her L forS .' ?''" °' *« "^"o' "-HoneoHhe Chief s.rai„f^'--;;;j^^««.at A Grip of Death 299 The killing dikmmt on which sh» h,^ 1^ ... would be removed by the dea h of .t ^' """" brought all this terror into th? . ! "^ *''° •»<" Her friend wouTat »v «te t ^^ ^^' "' ■•" '"'• with a wretch ca,«bk 7such d ? l'"'" """'ee wrought that very ev«tae A„, f "t "if '"="' "'"'^ remembrance of Thmf ^ /*" ^'"'<'*red at the P"« when the Iciew he °^ '"''='">' ^"f"' »"»- ness to find »d MlTer anT^f "^ "'"'" '" "•* "l**- a. the recollec;!,;''^?";;:'^ .""^f °^^^ ""' ^^ '" ^"^ had closed on her and .h 1^ « terror when his hands death. ' *""" '•" '«'<' •>«» face to face with arriv^ Cheriton. at teigth. Give Landale credit for the change in him. He has behaved splendidly in this, and I am sure is mightily sorry for his part. That night's work scared him beyond all description." If 308 The Heritage of Peril Icnivl ^^ t'" ?° '"*"""• "* ™ "0« dupe than knave. But I can't say I have, or ever can have X oS^ r alalr ^ hi. than a desire never to .V^ t^ "There'll be no chance of that, for some time at least -he s gomg out to the Colonies for a long trip." bies^"Hor' I '^"' '^' Jewels-the Rohilkund Ru- sfied '^ *' '"'''' *'"*°'^ *' "^" »"<^ Wood- . l![r"' ^'"^^ *^°"^^' °^ *^*'' *°^' ^d shall try to find a mall countcrpo.se. We'll give them up to thdr rieht ful owners ; but we'll get the reward that was off cd td ri^2 ': ' ^P'*^ ''' * ^^"^ Merrion Ward." m^dffTtF^'^'f '^' ^'^' ^^ "l'*^ «»""ed; then mmdful of her fnend, she said: ;; I must go to Dora now, Tom; she may want help " Inonemmute You've only three thi:4 trdofim • to say when you'll come down to the Sm^ke-hok I^d valid, fix a date when you will make the last chanire in your name, and— give me a kiss to ««.,! *»,- T ^ Shi. «m;i«^ • . . **^ *"*^ two contracts. than bef^ I T" "' '^''' ""^ ""^^^ "^"^»» ^^re deeply hrmtr.^^^^^^^ •^' '^ '^"^ her into his armsXt She might have time to recover her self-possession ^ndwh«, he let her out again, both th^cont,^^ had been agreed to and sealed with many seals. THE END. ough Mm than ►ther I on least Ru- raid >od- !ind rht- md >f icn rw •» P- 8t: nd in- in ts. lat id A TENDER LOVE STORY BV THI AUTHOR OF *«ALICE OF OLD VINCENNES" MILLY: AT LOVE'S EXTREMES By MAURICE THOMPSON Illustrated and Beautifiiliv Bound in Silk Cloth and Gold, .' . ^,.50 THIS glowing romance of the South possesses all the fine qualities of "Alice of Old Vinccnnes," with the additional merit of a higher polish and finish. Indeed, the whole story is full of varied and stirring individuality and reflects the very highest credit upon its gifted author. NEW AMSTERDAM BOOK COMPANY 156 nPTH AVINUB : NEW YORK CITY jf TO FIT YOUR PURSE Pocket,Vali8e, and Trunk FOUR HUNDRED LAUGHS Or, F« Without Vulpriqr. A Cyd.p««. of J«t., ToMti, Witty S^yla,,, etc. Qoth, . . ^j^. HERE LIES: a o^^ ^ ^, ^ Humorout loKriptioiH from TonlmUMm. doth, 750. A HANDBOOK of PROVERBS ForR«wkrt,Thiiikat, WritmanaSpedtm. 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