LOVE IN FETTERS

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 92, 25 May 1914, Page 11

LOVE IN FETTERS

By RICHARD MARSH

CHAPTER XIX. /, THE TWO MEN. • : Mme. de Gonstal was again in the great room with the painted ceiling.. M. Tifeoft Per ret, With his bandaged headnot quite so bandaged, Was in the big arm-chair. Perched on a corner of a .'with' Van air "of being very much ,at; home, was the ineffable Achille; northing in his voice, manner, or bearing /just then suggesting the immaculate ivalet de chambre. Leaning over the l)aek of another arm-chair was-a darkHaired damsel; like Achille, she also the uniform of her office, and was .known in the establishment as An,'toinette, being supposed to act as Mme. fie CQnstal's own maid. ; . Miue, de Cojistal was less placid than She spoke as one who was in a of much irritation; indeed, she owned that she was. - ■ '' Things are getting beyond bearing. That there could be such fools in the woirld. I ought long ago to have become reconciled to the fact, but there are moments in which I still find it liard. Everything is igoing wrong. I am sure of it; I feel it in my bones. Here is Jules in a mess—for all his boasting; it seems that the police will ■ take him after all. If they do, it won't -be long before " She tossed up her hands. "I have no wish to anticipate the wotst; it will come soon enough, anyhow.'' "My dear Madeline, it seems to me that it's you, if you will allow me to jisay so with all possible courtesy, who are the fool. Achille and I are not so young as we were; we feel that this i climate doesn't agree with :us, : nor even vtliis continent. Surely we've earned a little repose. " N ~

Since this speech was addressed to Mme. Constal by Antoinette, it goes without saying that at that moment there was nothing about her which pointed to the subservient maid. Nor did Madame in her reply suggest the distress who resents undue familiarity. "It's all very well for you to talk. You take yourself off, but what's to .'jbecbme of me? And as for what you , .call, your share, I don't see where you're going to get it from. You know that I'm almost penniless." : '"My dear Madeline, that's just what I don't know. It's no'use your pretdiiaing to i'esent my not believing you, .because I know you much too well to .belieyc anything you say on your un- , .supported word alone. I have very little doubt that if you choose you can lay your hand on practically any sum '■ you like. Achille and I are going to married—it's time we- were—we're going to retire from the firm. It's only -• rigM that, you should give us what you promised—our fair share.' ;

Author of "A Master of Deception," "Twin Sistera," etc [COPYRIGHT.]

' < That means, I suppose, thousands j of pounds. " "It means —you know what it means. Why pretend that you don't?" "I shall be only too glad if you are able to show where that sum of money is which you say I can lay my hands on." '" . "How about this girl, this Alice Hudson? I thought there was a gold mine in her." The speaker was Achille. "So there is, an inexhaustible gold mine. But you know perfectly well that to get any mine into working order takes time. 1 She wouldn't marry Leon here; she'll have to marry that young fool; but she is not easy to persuade, nor, for that matter, is he;" " Why you ever brought him here at all I can't understand. More than once I have been very near wringing his neck." This again was Achille. "X daresay you don't understand; but I do. It is* true lie has not turned out exactly the kind of person I supposed him to be; but for our purpose I'nj..not sure that he's any the worse on that account. They are nearer marriage than either of them suppose; it is only a question of skilful- driving. Once he has married her the working of the gold mine will begin. I don't think any of us will be dissatisfied with the profits. But what, we, want is time, a little patience, and a certain amount of common sense. Our first business, for our own salces, is to see that Jules is saffe; then if you will only wait a little you shall have all you want." "How often have you said that, just those three words—wait a little? Your little becomes so long.'' "Here are all these people coining, with pockets bursting with money, and Girodet to help with them. When they go they ought to leave enough behind them to —go round. Directly they've gone, we'll put the finishing touches to those young fools. They can be married here in the house—they shall be. Leave all that to me. I can lay my fingers on the 'parson,' as in England they call xhe priest. In the meanwhile, Antoinette, will you do me the favour to see that everything-is ready; and you, Achille, the same?" When, not long afterwards, Antoinette and Achille having gone, the lady was alone with M. Ferret, he said to her: "Suppose those two refuse to marry to your order; they've been pretty obstreperous already; then what 1 are you going to do? Yon know how she got the better of me. If this other plan of yours miscarries, what then?" "We'll have them doctored, and they shall be married without their knowing it. 1 don't like that sort of thing, but— —

She finished her sentence with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Won't that be risky? Anyhow, would such a marriage be good?" "Everything is risky; you and I ought to know that. We have taken much greater risks than that and come out on top.' As for the marriage bfeing good, it's only regard for her Which holds him back. My dear Leon, yon and I know how many ways there are of persuading a mail to hang himself, and how we can hang him ourselves if all of them fail. Those two young people are going to be married, if they will or won't; and afterwards we 'll begin to draw our dividends." "There is another point. Suppose one of these people whom - Girodet is bringing recognises him or her?" ' l l am rather hoping that one of them will recognise liim, in an uncertain sort of way; it would give the young gentleman a fright, which he stands very iYiueh in need- of. He's begun -almost to think himself safe. If it is suddenly" brought home to him how very much he isn't, I shouldn't wonder if he becomes more pliable. As for recognising her, that's absurd.. What is there to. recognise? You need have no fear on that score. What worries me is an absurd sort of feeling I have that Bebe will make a mess of things;,.he's done it before, and he's not getting younger, or his fingers'more agile." i { Maybe; but he's had so much practice that, older or younger, his fingers ought to be in training." ' M. 'Ferret' said this with sueli a savage sneer that the lady looked at him, and as she looked, she laughed. '' You never did love Bebe —you are artists in such, different ways. It isn't either exactly that I'm afraid' of Bebe's failing, but he's bringing with him such a very mixed collection.' I should like to have managed with one or two —the right ones—if that had been possible, but it wasn't. The very smallness of the number would attract suspicion. Where there are so many, what more natural than that one or two should lose, perhaps heavily, especially when some of the others may have won?'' "Then what worries you? I thought you prided yourself on never worrying. I don't know how it is, but you seem to nie to be unlike yourself." "Am I?" She gave herself a little shake. "Perhaps it's because I've eaten something which disagrees with lixe which needs correction." Going to a sideboard, she filled two liquer glasses out-of a decanter, returning with them in her fingers to the man in the chair. '' Here, Leon, is one for you. Let's drink together to the success of my little undertaking-, and couple with it a hope that nothing will spoil the pleasure of my guests." Ronald Denton, wandering about the ! grounds alone, witnessed two little in L j cidents which made him think. He was not in the'best of spirits, which means ! that he was in even a greater state of j depression than he was wont to be- He I missed the girl, the place seemed horri- | ble without her. The reflection that in all probability she would never be his companion'again made the matter worse. They certainly could never again meet on the old basis of happy innocence, of frank companionship. How happy he had been with her; he knew it at the time, the full measure of his happiness lie only now began to realise. There was nothing left in the world

[for him, nothing to keep him at' the L Chateau d'Ernan. -He had never con- | templated the possibility of getting I away from itthe .more or less' vague i consciousness that he was virtually a | prisoner had been made bearable by the I presence of Alice Hudson. All that [being over —she would never walk' by his side through thpse grounds again—- ! the sootier he took 1 himself outside them [the better it would be. He did not I think that would be difficult. -If Mine, de Constal refused to open her gates and let him through, he had no doubt whatever that he would be able to get [through them without her. What he [ was to do when lie was on the other side was another matter; .also the question [was forced, .upon, him of what would [become of the .girl when he )iad gone, i What might not these creatures do" to ■ her? ■ [ He would have done his best to leave j the Chateau behind that very afterjnoorv .had not-, that reflection stayted i liim, that' question to which he dared ;not find an answer.; He would have, at least for the. present,; to . remain where he was because of. it. .To take himself off would be to desert Jipr; he certainly would be.of no use to. her outside.; He was not sure that., he would not walk to the; first police station and give himself up; he obviously would not serve her by doing that. The thought of what might, be happening to her would make even the gallows doubly bitter. So it came about that-he was 'torn this way and that. While he was con: tending 'wjlth, himself those two incidents took place, one quickly following the other. On a sudden lie became conscious of a distant sound. As a rule everything thereabouts was so still; the noise and bugtle of the world was no doubt far away, but no sound of it ever seemed to penetrate there. He stood "to listen; what lie heard was a motor car, more than' one.. They were prob-. ably entering the long drive which ultimately led to the 1 house; '-Possibly the guests of whom Mrile. de Constal' had spoken were arriving. He wondered what sort of persons thiey could be to come on a r v.isit to that strange.house. She had asked.liim to-help her entertain them. In the request he fancied he a .veiled threat, Wh^t\wei' € tftese peo-, pie.coming for? He could not imagine how, but that .might mean more danger to Alice. He would stay and see., ; While he stood listening, and; wondering,; even more suddenly thaw, he had heard the . sound of,,th^-motors, he,.became conscious , that . he*, was not alojie ill the wood through been picking his way. Someone was stealing through the brushwood which served as a fringe to the trees,' Someone' -Who was sV dn'xious to avoid notice'that he bent down so low that Denton' Was'half disposed "to thinfc that he must be 1 moving on-all fours. He'told himS'elf 'that-hte might be mistaken,' that -it might be afi ,: animar,; 1 ' n6t a ; man* Then! lie sAw' ' •Something : pass: 6ut' ' of the" ' brushwood, '&nd, i » still- bendirijy : lbw, ruuv I 'across : the • open 'intervening grouiid, ahd he knew it 'wfts ; a| * ' ' v -V . •*.•

What ifclas/ THiy he was'so, desirous not 11 to ' stttfafet * attention, * he : could,pot ,tell {> , 4 ,He .only, saw, him. for a few .seconds, ; tlieji ,the man passed to another belt purees .which Jfeyond. Ronald had he was .a short, elderly man, wore . no, Covering on his head, i'.^he 1 motors had .-.ceased to., be so obyious.: : Possibly they; had' drawn up at. the - .front!;door, and the passengers were descending. Had this man, who seemed to be of sp retiring- a disposition, any connection with their arrival? And if so, ; what?, « was. .about to jrf£racq .lus. steps..to-. w&rds the Jibuse when he frecame aware of tie', presence of still. &n<jther" man. This, one might have: fallen; front', the skies; he. could have sworn 1 there was no one near him a few seconds ago, yet, as ;he m*oved forward', this person j stepped from beliind. a ti'.eeyßonald stopped; the stranger'. 'stopped also. regarded Ronald, attentively for several instants, and then, without a word,: walked ; rapidly across, the path among the, trees on the other ,side. Ronald ; watched him moving. So far as he knew, he was a stranger at the Chateau d'Ernan. He certainly had not seen him there before. His impulse -was to hail him> to ask him who he Was and what he was doing: there, but SQme instinct kept him silent. There was something 'in the appearance of the man, and in the man-, ner' in which hie had regarded him, which made him unwilling to improve their acquaintance; something which in Some subtle, and unpleasant fashion, remmdedhim of Inspector Jfenri'er. Even in those brief moments in '■tfhich he had been in ; sight, he had 'been conscious that there was about hint something of ' 1 that air of calm, unconscious authority which "had impressfed him so disagreeably in the inspector, ; He passed out of the wood, and walked' rkpidly ' back to the house;' As he eiit6red the hall he met hi 6 hostess, who' greeted him with her sunniest striile. He was struck by this ease arid grace with whicK she bore herself, and how well the gown she wore became . her* -■ •

• have 'all arrived,?' she said, they 're nearly all; compatriots of yours, because I .always think that even an American is more than half an Englishman, though they never seem to like it if you hint as much. We dine in half an hour. You won't fail me? Alice has a headache, she will have to be excused; but 'on you I confidently count. Tell me that I may.'' His reply, as it was apt to he when he spoke to his hostess, was more curt than courteous. VI will endeavour to be ready for dinner in half ah hour; you can count on me to that extent." Without another word he walked past her up the stairs. She glanced after him, still smiling, though the words she muttered to herself were hardly gay ones. "You little pig Also you little fool! If you had only enough sense to cover a centime piece, you miglit.have a much better time than you have any ..notion of, young imbecile! " As she turned, Acliille came out of a door on her left, with something in, his bearing which seemed to strike lifer as unusual; it hardly "presented its wonted appearance of 'unruffled, even fathomless calm. Perhaps that was why she addressed hiin jn a whisper. ; ! " What is wrong?" It' was in an even fainter whisper that lie replied: 'Mules." 4 -"What's the matter with Jules?" "He's come back. He's here,: in the houS6, and lie's made.a fool of himself! Come." ' • "Must I come now? Each itistant I expect* those persons to descend;" ■life repeated that one word, "Gome! " He took her by the wrist, not familiarly, or disrespectfully, but as if life? were constrained to do so by something stronger than himself; and he "led her though the door by which lie had come, along a passage, to a room at 1 the other end, a room which might ! have been 1 some sort of a servants' hall. In it severiil persons were assembled. They stood about something which lay upon the floor. "What's - the meaning of this?" demanded Mme. de Gonstal. "'What are

-all you people doing here?" They aside to let her see that:~iSix Jia floor a man was lying. "Who's this? What does it mean? What's happened j to Mm?" Then she perceived'that-on one side stood the grille-headed,''lam-1 te'rn-jawe'd little man, who we : saw/before standing in the fireplace; ' if Jules! Why have you eonie back?" Suddenly she seemed to connect- his re-appearance witli the man on the floor. -She pointed with her finger. "Is this —what have you done to him?" : ' ' ' The little ! man snarled 1 rather than •SpOke. '' r"l've killed him", that's what. I've done!" ■ ' , • ■ ''Killed him?'' The woman 's ! tone was one of-horror. : . The little 1 man, M. Jules Monteil,-:"went on,.as if excusing himself. ' : '' He's the 1 agent of police. It was either he or I. What more natural-than that I should take care that it was he? Would he have considered me? No! Why, then, should I consider him?" The person tying on the floor was the man who had appeared with such surprising suddenness from behind. a tree, and had regarded Ronald Deriton so attentively only a few minutes before in the wood. (To be continued' to-morrow.)