CHAPTER XIX.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 202, 28 August 1886, Page 3

CHAPTER XIX.

A STARTLINO RESEMHLANCK

It chanced that John Harris had an errand across tho bay that morning aftor Eleo's mysterious appearance and dieappoaranco from and into tho fog, with his suggestive message. The two gentlemen had talked over this phaijtom affair, in thoir room at tho hotel, before retiring for the night; but thoy wore so full of their own businoss that thoy had concluded to tako no notice Of it, until, in the morning, John remembered 4hat he had to oross the bay.

Oscar had intended to go out with Anatole on horseback, it being a lovely day ; t(ut upon hearing that John was going to Alameda he decid.d to accompany him and inquire into the arsenic sale, although he had littlo doubt but that Eleo had procured the poison, and rJnly wondered at tho fellow's boldnoß. in lingering in San Fran.cieco.

" 1 dont like his hanging about," ho remarked, as thoy were speeding over the water. " When wo aro gono tbo ladios will have no protection, nor tho lad either. I have half a mind to set tho police to searching tho Chinese quarttr for him on our return."

" It ib our duty to do so," assented John. After transacting tho business which had taken them across; they repaired to tho drug ftol. at which they understood the arsonic had been obtained, and made inquiries, giving tho date, as to who had purchased such an article on that day.

Tho clerk, fearing that he might have got himself into trouble, Was reticent, and could remember nothing, until Romeyn showed a good deal of determination to arrive at facta, when he declared that ho had never in his life sold any kind of poison— except opium, if they chose to consider that a poison—to any Chinese.

" I am so positive of that, that I am will ing to swear to it," ho assented.

" Look at your books and see whom you did sell it to,"

The clerk searched his book and soon came to an item.

" I remembor all about it now," he said, looking quickly up, " as plainly as if it had occu: IKd this morning. I sjld twouty grains of arsenic to a lady "

" A lady 1" —the cry was involuntary and came from both.

"A tall, peculiar-looking lady, with black eyes and pale face. She said she bad just rented a houso over here, into which sho expected to move soon, but sho observed the basement was infested with rats, and she desired to get rid of thorn before she took possession. Sho said that she was going into tho baker's to get a roll or a bit ofj,bread upon which to sprinkle the poison, and that she should place it in tho house on her way back. Sho was a lady, sir, and I didn't doubt her word, I hope no mischief has come of it."

"Oh, no, nothing serious,' answered Romeyn ; " except that her Chinese servant got possession of it, and we did not know his object."

" I saw the fellow standing by tho door," observed the clerk, "and heard the lady reprimand him for following her Sho had given him orders to remain at the baker's. I'm glad there's nothing wrong."

The gentlemen bowed and went away,

"What do you think of it?" asked Harris, as they walked along, waiting for a car.

"I think tho rascal purloined the package from her bag, while he was alone upstairs, watching by Anatole's bedside." " That.may be. But if Mrs Jardine proposed using the arsenic ovor here, to got rid of rata, why did she not dispose of it in the manner of which sho spoke to the clerk ?"

" She may not have had time. A cor may have passed which she did not oare to lose. It was late whon she got home, as it was."

" Then why did she not accuse Elee of taking the poison from her bag ? It is very strange that she never acknowledged that she had bought it."

" Why, John, what on earth aro you talking about?" asked Romeyn, looking around in mrpriso at the troubled countennance of his friend.

" And, nowlcome to remember, she said, outand out, that she supposed Elee had purchased it, while sho was looking at the house."

" That is not impossible to account for Not knowing that he had taken her own package--if he did take it she supposed that ho must have supplied himself for purposes of hie own. Doubtless Elee is in the habit of going to the drug store for opium. Shocked and agitated as Mra Jardine was by the condition of Anatole, itis'not reasonable to expect that she would sco through everything at a glance." "But why did she not mention, the next morning, that she had been buying arsenic ?'-

"It was not necessary. And she probably realieed that it might place her in a disagreeable situation. Surely, if ever a mother loves a chiid, that wcman dotes on that boy. I feel almost out of patience with you, John, at the drift of your questions."

Harris did not immediately reply. A car came along, and they entered it. When they were once more seated on the deck of the Alameda, he then, in a hesitating manner, turning his eyes off on the water, said :

"I have made up my mind to tell you something, Oscar." "Well?" "Do you remember anything about tbe I H murder ?' " I do not."

" I suppose not; for I was only fifteen, and I'm three|years your senior. Well, it created an immense sensation in New York. On me it made a lasting impression, because of one or tyo circumstances which I will relate to you. On the morning of the discovery of the murder, I was on my way to the day-school which I then attended, very early, about eight o'clock, I passed the house, on street, in which the murder was committed. A crowd was passing in the open front door, and I, boy-like, squeezed my way in, slipping like an eel from the policeman who tried to keep me out. I got into the park ur, where the murdered man was still sitting in tbe chair in which he had been found dead. I saw him. You can imagine the ineffaceable horror of such a sight to a boy of my age. But I saw more. I saw the woman who almost immediately afterward v a arrested foi the -nurder. Her face made a deeper impression on me than the dead man's. In the instant when I first perceived her she was looking at the corpse. Her face was blanched. Her dark, deep-act eyes wore an expression which I cannot describe. It was a look both singu lar and terrible. She was a handsome woman, with peculiar features—a smooth, marble forehead, Btraighf, heavy black eyebrows, had a curve of the mouth and chin Buch as I have never seen in any other woman— save one ! "Well, the fact of having been among those who entered the house that morning kept me interested in the trial. My parents tried to keep me from reading or hearing about it; but I stole my way into court on the day on which the trial terminated, and was present whon the jury entered with their verdict. A verdict of ' Guilty waß generally expected-I think the woman herßelf expected it, and her countenance as she sat there awaiting the return of the twelve men who were deciding her fate re-

nowed tho poworful impression which it had made upon mo at first. I saw nothing but her face. My eyes wore gluod to it. 1 noted the groy shadow which crept over it, and tho strange light in the deap sot eyes when the jury entered tho court-room, though sho maintained an astonishing outward [composure. Sho was acquitted, but the verdict of public opinion was still against her, and sho left New York.

',' Now, Oscar, I am coming to the point of my story. I have novor seen another face like that woman's, until quite recently : then I met its living counterpart, excopt such changes as would naturally bo made by the flight of fifteen years : und even then tho change was Email. Thore is a woman who is the living image of that supposed murderess I" " You moan " "Mrs Jardine. Yes. If such a thing were not really impossible, I should believe that she was that w jman. Height, manner, bearing, complexion, features, and expression ! Why, Oscar, I toll you that I am always in a cold chill when I am in her presence. Two or throe times tho resemblance hos been so startling that it has made me ill—ospecia'ly on tho night o'Anatole's illness, when you took tho arsenic from Elee'a pocket. Oscar, I nearly dropped 1"

" You must be crazy, John. This lady la of Spanish descent, Mexican born. Sho was a bello in tho city of Mexico in her young days, married an American gentleman, went with him to Philadelphia, where sho occasionally mado a visit to JSow York, removed to Cuba—"

" Yea, yes; I know tho wholo story, Oscar. I know how absurd my impression i*. I say to myself a dozen times v day, 'it is only a most remarkable resemblance !' I convince myself that it is so ; then, as soon as I sco hor again, I feel chilled to my marrow-bonos."

" Well, I must say, your porvorsity is something ridiculous. 1 thought you lovod Belle Jardine too woll to cherish such strange fancies toward hor mother." " I Ibvs her as my llfo 1" rospondod John mournfully. "Did tho woman who was held for trial as a murderess have a child about two years of ago? Bolla is verging on sovontoen." "No; but there was—an infant—connected with the inattor. I don't like to spoak of it. But somotimosl imagino that Miss Jardine may not bo quito as old as her mother makes her out. In these warm southern climates girls mature oarly."

" Good hoaveiiß, John, what a goose you are I," exclaimed Romeyn, as tho boat touciiod tho dock. " You had bettor ask Mrs Jardino lor hor crodontials beforo you makoany moro love to hor daughter." " Don't make fun of me, Oscar. I should be as light hearted as a kitten if I could get rid of this disagreeablo feoling. I do not know what I suspoct, but I do suspect something. lam not easy about Anatole."

Thoy stoppod ashoro. " Going up thoro this morning ?" "Of course Cduldn't oxist without that comfort. Only two moro visits, Oscar 1"

Evening enmo, and with it John Harris to Mrs Jardino's houso. Oscar had arrived earlier, and was playing cboss with Anatole. Both ladios wore out taking a littlo walk for tho ovorcfoo. Mrs Jahlino ÜBtially chose the twilight hour for her daily promenade, averring that tho sunlight gaVo her headache. Tho parlours woro woll lighted up, and John, in a fit of abstraction, throw hiiliself into tho noarest chair; loanod his head against tho back, and indulgod in a gloomy rovorio whilo waiting for Bolla to make hor appearance. The chair he had chosen was halt behind tho door of the front parlour. Very soon tho ladios returnod, and not knowing that their callers had arrived so early, stopped at once into the parlour with thoir hats on. Mrs Jardine flung the door open rathor briskly, and it jarred against tbo chair occupied by Harris. When sho heard tho jar, and saw a man loaning back in tho chair, she throw up hor hands, letting tho littlo parcel which sho carriod drop to tho floor, whilo a grey pallor sottled on her face, hor oyc? oponed, hor nostrils cxpinded into an unuttcrablo oxproasion of horror.

Tho next moment sho burst into a hysteri cal laugh.

"I declare ! Mr Hanis, how you startled me ! Why did you got bohind tho door ?'

Ho aroso to his foot; ho was startled, too, and was looking at hor in a strango way.

" You must excuse mo," she continuod, stooping to pick up tho pared which ho had not offorod to lift for hor ; " I had a friend onco who died in his chair, and when discovered, ho was Bitting just as you wero. I suppose it was tho association," sho wont on, rathor hurriodly for her, who was seldom stirred from hor measured way of speaking.

"There is a great doal in association, madam," ho nnswored, Btill watching hor face intently. " I romembor that Doctor H. was found in his chair in such a position. 1 remember just how ho looked." She turned hor face quickly from him ; she was untying hor hat strings, and she now took off tho nat and laid it on a table.

" You did not soo him ?" ahe asked, brushing a bit of dust from hor bonnet, and looking at it instead of him. " Yes, I went in with tho crowd that morning." " You must have boen a more boy," she observed, now facing him, epoaking in hor usual tones. " I don't recall tho date, excjpt that wo were about removing from Philadelphia to Cuba ; and I just rocolloct my Ihusband speaking of the great Now York sensation. Wero it not for that I should* have forgotten it entirely, I dare say." "I was about fifteen years," said Harris, and then he turned to greet Miss Jardine, who bad como in out of tho fog, liko an angel out of a cloud, hor complexion fairly dazzling in its pink and white, hor eyes sparkling with tho effects of her walk. "Thero'a the innocence of heaven here," thought John, tromhling under the light touch of tho flowor-like hand. " vVby do I torment myself ? Why do I care whether it bo so or not ? It is of far more importance to mo to win this young girl to love me, by showing, ovory moment when I have the chance, how doar sho is to me, how devoted I am to her."

He shook off tho chill at his heart, and sot himßelf to work to please Bella. He had a splendid tenor voice ; and they sang lovosonga together. Whon Oscar and Anatolo had finished their game, they had aomequartottesinging. Mrs Jardine was unusually silent. She appeared pleased with the music, but evory timo that Harris chanced to glance in hor direction her eyes were upon him, until he grow unoaay in tho consciousness that it was so. Hie evil gonius was with him that night, prompting him to do what ho did not moan to do. He had not meant to rofor to Doctor H.; he would have bitten off his tonguo rather than have done it; but the words "had said themselves" before be could check them.

As he finished a beautiful solo part which he had been carrying, he glanced over at Mrs Jardine, and finding her eyes fixed on him, he immediately walked over to her and said :

" Mr Romeyn and myself wore in Alameda on business this morning. Happening to think of it, we went into the drug store to ask about the purchase of arsenic which had been made there. The clerk denies that Elee bought any of him."

A dark flush came over her pallid cheek,

" I could bavo told you that without troubling to inquire at the shop, if I bad thought it worth my whilo to mention the subject again, after "tha danger was^over and its devuer banished. When I came to in my littlo shopping-satchel the next day, after the excitement had subsided, for a littlo package of arsenic which I had bought to poison the rats in the house which I thought of taking, I found it gone. I comprehended at once that Elee, who had boen lurking about while I wbb in the storo, had been seized with curiosity to know what I had been getting, and had rifled my bag after I went down staira in tho evening. Elee was very light-fingered. He stole small articles, especially things good to eat. I dare say he thought I had been buying candies, and went to help himself. He probably took the paper to aeo what was in it, and quite ignorant of the dangerous nature of its contents. Yes ; the more I think of it, the more I am convinced that Elee bad no evil intention in abstracting the poison. I think he gave Anatole opium with the simple desiro to make him sleepeo that he could get away. Being accußtomed totakingit in large quantities himself, he gave an overdose ; and, dreadfully frightened at tho consequences of his imprudence, called us to the rescue, but did not dare to confess the liberty he had taken."

Long before sho had ceased speaking the flush had died out of ber marble cheek ; she spoke in the low, even, unhurried tones habitual to her ; and John Harris could have boxed his own eara to think of the strange, fearful, foolish suspicions which he had aflowed to gather about this lady. " I atrl always making a fool of myself !" he thought, discontentedly And then he tried to solace himself for this poor opinion by singing some more duets with Bella, who was unusually pleasant with him this evening. It seemed as

if, now that ho was going away so soon, she would not grudge him a fow smiles and sweet spoken words. But when Bho lookod toward Oscar, and spoko with him, it was with a soft melancholy, a gentle reproach, which, had John been in his place, he could no moro havo v ithstood than a feather the wind.

" If she would only look at me that way," moaned John, as tho men wore going back to their rooms, ''I should give up tho Isabella Gold Mining Company at oneo, and stick by her." " Then sho would despiso you " "Do you think it ? Despiso such devotion ?" "Yes; women liko success. The most innocent and unselfish of them like their men to succeed in tho world. They must admire a horo. Whether ho be a brave soldier, or only competent in his attempts to make money, he must show that he has some pluck." "Hum! I wish Miss Jardine could sco me go after a Comanche." It was barely poesible that this ardent aspiration of our lovor would bo gratifiod. For, the next morning, while tho two wero at breakfast, in comes Anatole, with sparkling eyes and red cheoks, declaring that his aunt Julietta was going with them to Mexico, and sent him to ask if ono of tho gon'lomen would bo so kind as to come and son her about it, if oither of them had timo.