iS^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) // ^ >i 11.25 mtii lis u |j4 lit iu 2.0 I U 11.6 ^Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. M580 (716) 873-4503 M \ iV s> '^ ' s*i«Sii»»W«a«*--;.. ■*, ^'-IM ,.'.;-.^ Ww.^ i:Mi;MvM.MWn, itcunaaMiSSSK/T'i.^fi.. MM ^im^s..^ THE h OF DEATH OR, >. THE BENWELL MURDER. f V0nt0 : BOSE PUBLU. ING COMPANY, *lr V,|il '■•■1 7 ±(y01lCL A? * Ottered according to Act of Parlia«„nt -/• n 3 ' " " eigkt hundred and nLfy SyZS^T'''' '" ^f^y-^one thousand ^artmento/AgriZHur,^ ' ^°"' ^"^"^""'^ Company. «/ th. one thousand PANY, at t^ CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Rex BiRCHALt anp His Fkiends ''*'"»• CHAPTER II. ' My Father's Name was Benwell ' 18 CHAPTER III. A Case of Mistaken Identity 33 CHAPTER IV. Walter Cufford's Difficulties 29 CHAPTER V. BiRCHALL TO THE RescUE 30 CHAPTER Vr. An Estrangembnt . 42 CHAPTER VII. Walter Clifford's Temptation ■ 46 CHAPTER Till. A Startling Messiob 49 CHAPTER IX. Walter Repudiated by His Father 54 CHAPTER X. Batter Cut the Countrv and E.Mm„.., ,. n.„,„, *.. . VI CONTENTS, CHAPTER Xr. A Broken Enqaoement '*?! •••••....#.., 01 CHAPTER XII. SdUKKSItT AND BiBCHALI, CHAPTER XIII. An Unpleasant HombCojiing yi CHAPTER XIV. Mistaken Identity that Worked Both Ways 77 ' CHAPTER XV. Treadi.vo the Downward Path PART II. CHAPTER L Vodno Benwell Encounters Miss Somerset 87 CHAPTER II. A Joyful Shock that Killed CHAPTER IIL A Dawning Love. CHAPTER IV. Bright Meteors Flash Across a Canadian Sky... 96 CHAPTER V. Back Aqain in London. [At Ne 77 ■ On th« 82 ■ Back I ■ WoRKII 87 ■The Fii 90 ■Thi Bo 94 ■The Ar] 96 1 In Priso 102 1 Found Q CHAPTER VI. Frederick Benwkll Entrusted with a Commission 106 | And Last CHAPTER VI L Preparations for Departure .,,,,, no B CONTENTS. Til , 61 71 82 90 • ••••';.<• tf 4 PART IIL CHAPTER I. fEx YoYAOM >A01 114 CHAPTER II. [At Nbw Yohk and Buffalo.. CHAPTER III. 77 ^On thr Road to the Swamp of Death. CHAPTER IV. [Back From the Swamp of Death.. [Working out the Plot. CHAPTER V. -_ CHAPTER VI. °i BThe Finding of the Body CHAPTER VIL [The Body Tdentif[ed by Bi j^li... CHAPTER VI i I. JThe Arrest and Committal for Trial . W ■ In Pbison and on Trial CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER X. - 102 ■ PouHD Guilty and Condemned to Die ON 105 ■ Akd Last. CHAPTER XI. fi >«•«« •>.. 110 118 121 1 126 130 :. \ i 136 1 140 154 183 137 HIS HONOR JUDGF MoMAHON. "fe- THE SWAMP OF DEATH; OR, THE BENWELL MURDER. CHAPTER T, REX BIRCHALL AND HIS FRIENDS. t isn t twelve o'clock yet and I've lost forty pounds I iit lown again and have another try, for luck ' • Mo, Hex my boy. I for one can't, possibly. I said Id play till eleven-thirty and then leave, /told you ii^;^^''"''''' ^"^^^^ -^ ^^---y - «ta/on The speaker, a tall, muscular young Encriishman wi^h a drooping sandy mustache and close croVpeTreddil brown hair aro3e from his seat beside a g?een-(i)ver^^^^ table, at which he and three others had been Xvmr (cards, and stretching his long arms away above hfsS •Sd rlfr^T' -\T^h «^- i^^dolenVmotl' )hem on. ^""^ ^^''^ ^^^^^^rately put Let the engagement go, Charteris,' said Philip Dudley f ni k^ii' "^r' "" '\ ""'' =3tuuu, iOuKing reluctant to leave till holding the pack of cards, shuffling them absentlyTn 10 THE SWAMP OF TftATE. ^> H i I V J.^ his long, slender, white hands. ' Those crushes at the Arnolds' are horrible bores, and though Sir Godfrey made a point of our going he'd never miss us. Sit down again, Lucky, and give Rex a chance to retrieve his losses.' ' No, thanks. T promised and I'm going. But don't lot me interfere with you, Dudley. I'll let you off and invent a good excuse for you— a cold or the measles, or something equally fetching.' , ' Phil, you are forgetting the fact that Miss Clifford is at Cedarhurst,' said Hex Birchall, laughing up goodhumor- edly into the face of Lucky Oharteris, who stood awk- wardly looking down at his boots and reddening angrily. ' No blushes and no apologies required, old man. We all know how 'tis. I'll make you suffer for to-night's win- nings some other time.' 'Any time you choose.' said Charteris, trying not to hurry his ordinary leisurely gait as he made for the door, and yet anxious to escape any further reference to Miss Clifford. ' Hold on,' said the fourth young man, who had not yet spoken, 'I'm going with you, Charteris, I— I have to. I've an en — engagement, too.' This apparentl5^ innocent remark was greeted with a roar of laughter from the others, and Algernon Davidson, otherwise known as ' Crummy,' sank back in his chair in a state of collapse. ' Oh, Crummy, you'll be the death of some one some day, you're so funny,' said Rex Birchall, tilting back in his chair till its hind legs cracked warningly. ' The idea (f Crummy having an en — engagement 1' A t this moment hurrying footsteps and rollicking voices were heard in the outer room, and as Charteris opened the door to depart two young men entered, both evidei\tly in an advanced state of hilarity. to Rex Birchall perhaps the most widely known man REX BIEGIBU^ AND HIS FllIENDa H i.incoin c-oilege. At Jerry's compan on Charteris took « long hard look and then held out liis hand : ""'' " are ^l^In^t!::^^ ^"1^^'° ^" ^"^ "'"'■ ^-^^ .f^t^^iTa^d'^.a^eT^^^^^^^^^^^ ; Do you take me for a ca. But see here Cliffonl ' turning around he saw thai nu^,*. .?""" loi you. ihen added ' Thof'o • uY r \ ^^'i^i tens was sti there and ' Come along, Clifford/ said Charteris kmr11.r oo • L«?.^..^^«^-^ dye the lad's te'l^'^ .^S? Don't ^ known man you^stay an niirfou";^^; 61*^"!^^'"^" «»' *°' ^^ shouire;''STsat;:;rLt'off.'''"'''"^' ^'"^^'-S '''^ ''-'"i 1^; !. i I Kjj :' ■i 1!.. i ■i 12 THE SWAMP OF DEATH. • ' Didn't it let its nursey ^ake it home, a 'ittledear,' said Dudley, sneeringly, > ' Look here, Phil, let up on it. I'll punch your head if you torment the youngster,' said Biichall. 'It's bad ^enough for me to do it, but when you take a hand in its abominable. You should have gone with Lucky, Cliff. You aren't strong enough to stand this sort of thing and O'ou're too* young. I hate to see a boy wading into deep water before he learns to swim. Take my advice and cut the whole lot of us. And especially give Rex Birchall a wide berth.' The speaker looked up into the flushed face of the boy with a wihning, softened look in his large dark eyes thnt were generally so alert and merry. He noted the waxen look of the skin beneath the crimson, the swollen veins of the narrow forehead, the putfiness below the eyes, and the dullness of the eyes themselves, and a gen- erous impulse to save the lad gave his voice the ring of sincerity which it generally lacked. ' Drop the moral and let's play,' said Dudley, still rest- lessly toying with the cards. ' Have a hand, Jerrv ? ' ' I'm with you,' said Jerry. ' You'll play, Clifford ? ' ' No he won't,' said Birchall. * He has no luck at loo. Even Crummy can get away with him, and I'm going to play for blood to-night. I have to raise a hundred some- how by to-mon-ow and Charteris has cleaned me out. Sit down and look on, young one, and I'll give you some pointers.' ' Here Clifford,' said Davidson, rising hurriedly, * take my place. I — I can't ^^lay any more. I — I've got a too — toothache.' ' Sit down,' shouted Birchall, rising, and lifting up his chair he poised it dangerously close to Crummy David- son's well-oiled head. ' Sit down or you'll get hurt. Do you think I'm going to be balked of my prey ? ' 'I'll take his hand, Rex. I'd rather play/ said Clifford. sliding into Davison's seat. ittle dear,* said REX BIRCHALT. AND IlfS FRIENDS. • 13 Well, its no use trying to save you,' said Birchall, Jaughmg orood-humovedly, and replacing his chair on the floor ' What's the extent of your finaces ? Have you a hundred to lose ? Ah, you have, hey ? ' as ClifTord drew """.V . ,'f. ?w^^^ ^"^ exhibited a handful of notes and^ gold. Well, Crummy, order up something wet and we'll drink to its successful transference irom your pocket to f ^"®; P^d^e^' you've shuffled your luck to bkzes. Cut lor deal, boys. Well done I Hand over the cirars Crummy, and then get out like a good fellow. We want no audience here. Tell Martin the Black and Tans are in secret session and there's no admittance to-ni.rht D've understand?' *' * ^% Corks popped, glasses clinked, cigars were lighted, the cards were dealt, a little desultory conversation went on until Davidson had closed the door behind him with the spring set, and then silence fell and the four men began to play as though their live*? depended upon the taking ot the tricks. ® / nd as they sat there, a strangely diverse group, a des- cription of their outward appearance may help the reader to guess at their inner characteristics am'Sh^fouT"'' "" ''^ ^"^^ ""'"'''''^ "^^'^>ee He had a massive projecting chin and a smooth retreat- ing forehead, from wnich dark brown hair had already fTL^ fl KK ' iT? was large but blunt, his cheeks full and flabby and his little, bright, twinkling eyes were aloiost lost m creases of raddy skin, they were so cheL R'5rr ^-^f ^r'^'''^ ^'^^^ and "^^oundlng cheeks. He had a wide, clean-cut mouth, with lins that were not too full and the whitest, strong^sland eCnes set of teeth in the three kingdoms evenest A stranger having Jerry Donovan pointed out to him f.^r„lil„r!LP^P"^- ,«^/our feVws,' would look wm in disgrusted unta -..%" H THE SWAMP OF DEATH. > i; his hps wouW F.art and his white teeth shine out and his rolhcking, Iauglun^r eyes would twinkle and beam upon hira he would no longer wonder how it was that Jerry held such an influen-c#tver his friends. Next to Jerry sat Walter Clifford, a tall, slender lad with narrow sloping shoulders, a high forehead with hollows in the blue-veihed temples, a sharp, well-shaped nose, dark grey eyes with an uneasy, haunted expression and a thin lipped, sensitive mouth and weak, retreatin<^ • chin. His hair was brown and line, lying close to his well shaped head, and his complexion was naturally pale ^nd clear though now incarnadined. Theresas no appearance of the coming of mustache or beard, and taken altogether— his scrupulously neat dress, his white hands, his look of dissipation and delicacy— a stranger would put him down as a refined youth of about eighteen whom imWward circumstances was driving to the devil and an early grave Next to ClifTord sat Philip Dudley, the dark-eyed dar- ling of Oxford society— a man so handsome that no- where could he pass unnoticed. He had the inimitable air ot melancholy, of romance, the Don Juan like look which is so deeply interesting to impressionable minds —that made women first admire, then study him then desire to do him good and last of all that made'them love him. It was not only that he had the dark, creamy tintof skin that painters give to idealized Italians, the dark hair with its one wavy lock that would fall caressingly down upon the sculptured whiteness of his brow, the full, red lips that straightened or curved or contracted with every passing thought, the oval turning of cheek and chin the dark outline of silky mustache, that was not allowed to droop and so hide the perfect beauty of the mouth- no, all those were charms, but in the eyes lay his chief power-^-dark, impenetrable eyes with golden iris and vv-iiues whose '||lueish tint was tiecked with faintest REX BIUCHALL AND HIS FRIENDS. 15 specks of yellow. The eyes were full and heavy-lidded, with long, black curling lashes that veiled and softened and added a mysterious beauty to the eyes they shaded. Straight brows of ebon blackness almost met above the bridge of his large, aristocratic npiB and made his direct, unsmiling gaze sinister in no small degree. He affected the Byronic as to collar, his neck being always loosely girt ; and dark blue clothing with care- lessly tied red scarf, was his normal attire. He smiled but seldom, and when he did there seemed to lurk in it the suspicion of a sneer. His expression was generally dreamy, far-away, still, but his long, slender hands with their well-kept nails, were ever restless, nervous, nevj^ free from motion. W Reginald Birchall was the only one of the party who seemed realFy happy. He smoked away industriously, keeping his cigar alight even at the most exciting stages of the game, threw down his cards with an air of un- concern, slid his body away down in his chair till his head rested on the back of it in a way to suggest strangulation, but which he seemed to consider comfdr- table. His coat was unbuttoned, displaying a drab ' velvet waistcoat of fanciful pattern, one leg was stretch- ed out and curled around the lower bar of Dudley's chair, and at every fresh deal of the cards his face would display a whole set of new expressions, but not one of them indicated ill-temper, chagrin or discouragement. He was not a large man — being not above medium height — was well-made, muscular, with well-shaped hands and feet ; his complexion was dark with bright, fresh Qoloring : a dark mustache shaded a mouth that was ever smiling, lending the countenance its good- humored, careless look. There was nothing remarkable in his sharp, clear-cut features or his close-cropped head, he was merely a good-looking, lively fellow with a pair of fine, full, vivacious eyes — he was always alert, bright, and above ail, jovial. He was too quick and reckless in !'■ tti i^ ■ I : 16 *HE SWAMP or DEATH. Ills motions to be eracefiil l.i= ^™ii awkw,.r '''^^'"d his wild, m„,l pranks a Jr.JId^"'' ^"1^'"' '>™ i" *» "ith a persistent rSritZtTP'"'?'^' '"«' ''^ '"^^ desperatidn. The fouf showed ?h ^''''•''! '"™ "'"o^' '" teristic ways-Birchell loT.;? their interest in charac- face wa.s dmwn dotn i?,,''! t^"^-- ?^"y Don^van•.s gravity ; Dudley WbJows Zf r^^'t" °* '''^'''■■""^ in one straight line andZ „„ ^bove""" "<"»•"■« «ye« ferocious; while Clifford'lmUd? °^ '"' '?°"* '""ke,! fully frightened, his fe^ gSw 'wH ^ 'and r'''^"^ his dry lips trembled. haggard, and DudLy had dealt the cards «n,^ b: i, n ■ng his hand when "uddenlvThmf u'"'" ^.^^^min- came a low whistle, and layil down^l* "^'f'l^ *">« sprang toward the tube and^^;,,? ^'' cards Birchall bent down his ear and Mstened^"'"^*" '"^'"'""^ «"'■ wefer'gXf tte wa° '^ !t^'^' •*'"«" -y» "s, as well af he can matluT'^' '"' "'^ P"""" "^ '^'- thatS'o'etrroTtt'.L!;'' ''^^ loosened a hook ^Ji'i ?i^f!'J?^^„ ^^^n equally expedition. «nd h-d ^""J '^"^" uuc-or-door clothing. ' "' .'Iv. ' peculiar, almost i not denote that m expected from > strive to win ody's friendship Is who willingly ' with him in all fling to help him ds. een fluctuating, iirection and he 3d not at all on ^^Qly, and he lost him almost to erest in eharac- erry Dont)van's )n of ludicrous bis sombre eyes 3 mouth looked ■s looked woe- I haggard, and II was examin- speaking tube cards Birchall nswering call, , ' Martin says •olice are after 3sened a hook id in a second . cards, stakes hile, with his Irab dust coat BEX BIRCHALL AND Uls CRIENDa 17 will have a chance to clear 7^7 r''" i"°\'^\>""'>^>^ be disturbed before that hami ':^„ ]i"l^T%i ^'\'° pid, don't kick ovpr nil ihZt -. '*''^>^" ' There, stu- I Clifford sttS atl tert^umed": ' ha'^"'^ "'rl^'"'' profrress towards the inner room ^^ '" '"' '"'^'>' cat^'^tlri„rthe"^nr '''.™''. "'^ '■■-"•^^ -i* apartment, ancl'croa „g to t "eT; e d tnTe "^^f '-P"'S door of a laro-A niri Pi- 1 ""' ^"tered the open the othe,: iXSld Mm" n?7''^"'^ ">'°"S'' ^h' ch tened it with a catch PI iff ^ "'"''.'"g" aft^rhim fas-^ and trembC wa ust a^^ 1 • ^'iT"«, '™ ^^^ *" f««# eneo„n.gi„g CriXtdtl^d S'lt' 1X1'"'! f" protectingly ^ """" on tne iads shoulder inttfeh^trt^dtt-^^/thir''"'''"''^''''^''™ door leading to a stp^n onT ^''^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ess to a ^ below that ?nded ln^:S ZirZT ^""'"' ""<* ^ ^^^'^^ •side lith Clifford ^ ^'"^" "■<> ^t^'^V side by , then turning to ChSL"k'°'''' ""i""'''' 'aW Rex ; one is outside watcS t us ZTh'^' ^T' <^''f' '^ ""-^ ,attontion while you ake le" b.^? throe wdf engage their |gait. Now boys ready i' ^ *"""" *' y"""- best (ed^geThet:tita iwtt"'^' T'','^'' *'-' ''--h- iCliffoTd hanging back " '^^"^ arohed-in lane, [though XT sttT.r wenr'^'^' ™^ ""- '^ ^"^-P voice said : °° ' "^^ overpowered, and a gruff w„^?'°"Ll?^'-.''«l'. you are my „,;,„„,, , . •n^mmmm 18 THE SWAMP OF DEATH. IIU,i I CHAPTER II. *MY father's name WAS BENWELL.' The waning moon was shining down with subdued ra- diance, a soft, chastened light like the memory of past joys, and fell with tenderest touch, through the delicate <^^acery of leaf and vine, upon the young couple who ^auntered along the paths of Sir Godfrey Arnold's garden. The Uon. Brian Charteris, second son of the Ear) of Ellisbrook, called Lucky by his fellows, seemed at this moment to think he deserved the title, judging by the look of intense satisfaction he concentrated upon his com- panion. And she was well worth looking at in her sweet younj^ loveliness, and the boundless love expressed in her glan- ces at Brian ought certainly to have satisfied the most rapacious of lovers. ' Briau,' she said, with a happy thrill in her voice, 'isn't this a lovely world ? and isn't this the sweetest okl , garden in it ? ' * Yes, when you are here,* he answered fondly. V * Brim,' said she, with a delightful little gesture of snuggling up closely to his side, ' is it not lovely to slip away and be alone ? ' ' It is simply adorable,' was his reply, his voice losing something of its customary indifferent drawl, his eyes i looking devotion into hers, and his hand closing over her ' little white hand that rested on his coat-sleeve. ' I thought you woiild never come,' she said, her tone reproachful. 'I kept watching the door all the evening, and haJI the time did not hear the pretty things that were bMns* said to nie= And when I was danein*? I i50si« lit 1.1 1 •my FATHEIl'S NAME WAS BKNWELL.' 19 tivcly rnshod when I was at the far end of the room for fear I should miss tho first siyht of you wlien you en- tered.' • I'm awfully afraid Miss Emma Clifford is making fun of her most humble servant,' said Charteris, pensfvely. • It is not considered fair to use edged weapons on an un- armed man.' ' But I was looking for you most anxiously. I was, truly, without sarcasm or exaggeration. What kept you so late ? In your note you said^half-past eleven, and now it is almost one.* ' I had hard work to got away when I did. I had ai engagement to play cards with some fellows before knew you would be here, and though I told them T would have to leave early they kei>t me till the last mmute. You see, Emma,' he said, with a consciousness that he was treading on dangerous ground, ' I had the misfortune to win and it looked shabby to leave abruptly and a winner.' *^ "^ ' You were gambling V P 'Gambling? Well, yes, if you wish to call a little mild pJay so. It was down at some private rooms the fellows keep up— for billiards and cards and that.' ' Did you win much ?' 'About sixty, I believe. -I am not sure' •Sixty what?' * • Oh, pounds— pounds, of course. That isn't very much, is it ' 'It may not seem so to you with your large income, Brian Cnarteris, but what might the loss of it mean to '7u P-Tw u'^"'',*'!' r^ ^^''' ^^^«'«^^' r'ndignantly. Why, if Walter lost that much it would simpFy mean rum, and papa would never forgive him. Do you know that papa only allow^s him twenty pounds a quarter out- side of. his necessary expenses. I hope you do-not en- courage Walter to ramble, for thnf ic fh- :^-_.i-_ able vice in papa s estimation.' - i ^1 I ()' i 1" ii ] '■ 1 ^^^^B ^^^S^q! ■1' ' 20 tHE SWAMP OF ftEATH. ^ Now, dearest, would I be likely to do such a thin^r ?' 1 don t know. Yes, I da.e say you would. You^'do It yoursell ; you gamble and make friends of gamblers and It It IS well for you surely it must be for bin) ' 'Now IS that reasonable, Emma? Do you compare me to a lad away from home for the first time in hi.s life v l>o you think I am as little able to take care of mvselt as ho? My dear, you must seo that what T mi^rht do with safety would be perilous for him, young and'weak and untried as he is.' ' \ '}^^'^ ^Y^!^^ ^^ '^ '^^^^ «^ wise or right for any one to gamble, said Emma, vehemently. ' I think it is" wicked 1 am «o grieved Brian. I thought you so high above' everything of the kind. I did tWnk you wouhl take care of Walter and keep him out of dangerous paths instead of leading him astrav by your example.' 'You are not crying, Emma? ' asked Brian, tryin<^ to look into the dark, pretty face that was studiously avert- ed from him. ' Surely a trifling misdeed like this is not good cause for tears. You mfke me feel my unworthi- ness of you very deeply when such a little thing will wound you so. ** * Is it foolish to think so mufch of you that it hurts me to have my opinion of you lowered ? Is it wonderful that 1 weep when I think of •the temptations and dangers that surround poor Walteil? ' ' How much you love that young cub ! ' said Charteris. enviously. ' ' Yes I do love him, dearly, and pity him, oh, so much. It you knew how hard his father is to him, how harsh and unsympathetic, you would be sorry for him, too. He is 80 kind, so generous to me, who am no kin to him, ttit to Walter he has always been so unjust, so tyrannical.' r^i-5"^,'.-^l""^*' ^ ^^^'^ understand. Are you not Mr. Clifford 8 daughter ? ' I. ' ^^' x"^,"^"' "^ relation at all. I am liis wife's child by ^ev urat husband. My lathers name was BenweiU 'MY father's name WAS BEN WELL.' 21 said Charteris, *Benwell! Ben— well. Urn. The name sounds strangely familiar. It seems to me 1 know something about some iJenwells. I wonder what it is! ' 'I cannot help you. I know nothing of my father's beople. I was a babe when my father died, and less than Iwo years old when mother married Mr. Clifford. My larliest, tenderest recolloctions are of Mr. Cdftbrd's de- joted love for mo. Ho was so good to me, but to Walter ke was always cold and repellent. Some men ought never b have sons, they are so cruel to them. Motherlias been b Hivalid all her lite, md so I have had to take her bliice, as Walter's protector, and I stand by him always- light or wrong. I am afiaid I only encourage him in larm— I only help him to deceive his father and supply [im with money to pay his debts. He is so weak and Vasteful, so easily led aattay. I wish you would help me ^ watch over him, Brian.' 'I have had my eye on him. I don't think he will Dme to much harm outside of getting into debt, and lere I can help him easily.V • But that is the one kind of help I will not have you lender, dear. I want you to promise faithfully that you fc^ill not lend him or give him money,' Miss Cliffurd said pipressively. ' * That is nonsense, Emma. I won't be prohibited in |ny such manner. Every fellow gets short at times and come to the rescue of some of them occasionally who itrmsically could buy and sell me over and over He aay never apply to me, but if he does you had better 3ave me unrestricted. You may be sure I won't lot him Inpple me,' he said, smiling. ' It fs not that. I don't mind your purse sufferin