The Dead Witness: OR, THE LADY OF LISBON PLACE.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 205, 1 September 1886, Page 4

The Dead Witness: OR, THE LADY OF LISBON PLACE.

By MES. it. V. VICTOR,

Author of "The Phantom Wife." "Who

Owned the Jewels,'' &c,

CHAPTBB XXI,

A LITTLE LIGHT.

The papers which the housekeeper, while superintending the clear.ing of Vance Stuyvesant's room, had found under his carpet—sealed up in a largo brown envelope, without any superscription whatever upon it— and brought to her mistress, were the hundred thousand dollars' worth of bonda which Oscar had asserted had been abstracted from his safe.

At the time of the disaster both he and Vance wero residing in Oscar's own house, which had since been sold for Bennie'a benefit; but after Oscar's disappearance, Vance, with characteristic selfishness, acceptsd Mra Horbert's offer oi a room in her hcuae, which he had since occupied with more or leis regularity, having an apartmeat in his club-house also. His career of dashing extravagranco was continued with even more than the old recklessness. As Maude had written Oscar, he bad>dded a taste for fast horses to hit othor expensive

fancies,

When JMrs Herbert received the packet from the housekeeper, she hesitated at first about breaking it open. Yet she was by no means certain that it belonged to Vance. Some othor person might have placed it there. It at once occurred to hor that it had somo connection with her brothers affairs. She had always believed that

Vance had played some high-handed trick,

to defraud him of large sums at the time of hia great excitement. That ho should actually steal, and commit forgery, appeared incredible : yet she wa3 forced to believe that he had dons so, rather than that Oscar had squandered tho money and then denied it. She know that Vance's morality was of the vory Ilimsie3t texture, and would give way under the pressure of a great temptation. She had continued to treat him as a sister, but it was more in the

hope that sho might, by watching, discover something which would clear (.'scar, than because she had any longer any respect for her wild half-brother. Chance had at la=.t placed tho opportunity in her hand. Sho cod eluded to open the envelope, and was not very much astonished whon she found therein tho miss ing bonds. Her heart beat high, and her face flushed with joy. Not only was Oscar's story corroborated, but all this latge sum of money was saved for him. Sho lost no time in making a note of the numbers and sanding them on to Washington to bs registered. Then, before accusing Vance, and without telling anyone of Ler di-covery, she had the bonds placed in the vaults of a relative who had a banking-office down town.

It was a piece of Vance's carelessness this hiding the bands in such a place. But when Oscar had threatened him so fiercely at the other house, and ho had expected that officers of the law might be called in to search his desks and papers ho had tucked tho ■envelope under the carpet there : and whon he removed to Mrs Herbert's he thought of no.botter place of concealment, and repeated it.' He expected some day soon, when tho excitement had entirely died out, to take a trip out West or down South, and exchange the bonds for cash. At present he was luxuriating on mean 3 obtained at the same roeriod.

Maude's indignation had been tho most Intc-n3e sensation she ever experienced in Siar rosc-'.ined life, but Vance had adopted the vory beat means of cooling it when he threatened suicide. .She was frightened at the danger, ami found she still loved and •pitied her reckless and wicked half-brother, soveroly as she at the same time condemned bim. It is a question if she would over have demanded open confession had not the

honour of another person still dearer to her tieen involved. To one aa quick-witted as

Vance Stuyvesant her evident anxiety to prevent hia doing anything desperate gave _lm the cue how to act.

He had only to look gloomy, to lose his appetite, or talk vaguely of having exhausted life and caring no more for it, to ihave Maude relac the cold eevority with

which she usually treated bim, and exert

herself to coax him out of his sullen mood. Foolish little lady ! who did not know, that great scamps are generally great cowards ? In a week or two after the discovery Mrs

Herbert closed her bouse, and the family, including Lillie and Bennio, went to Newport to occupy their villa there for the season.

Vance had gone on before, and was whiling away the days in his usual fashion, spending the most of his timo on tho water, while impatiently awaiting the arrival of Miss Delzemar. About the only really sincere and deep feeling he had ever experienced was this love—he called it love— for her. Perhaps he did love her, in a restless, exacting, passionate unreasonable way, as was characteristic of all his ways. lie had begun by coveting her money and by wishing" to sp'ta his half-brother, and he had ended by becoming really infatuated was due as much to Grace'i indifference as to her peerless style and beauty. With the axe suspended ahove bis neck, the thread 9f which might be at any moment severed, he wa3 more tbaa.evar determined to involve Mis 3 Delzemar. He believed that if he could induce her to marry him, Maude, out of consideration for ber, would " let up " on him. He waa terribly disappointed when ho

learned, about the middle of July, that Misa •Delzemar had rented her villa to a friend, and was making preparations to spend a year abroad. " She can't shako me off that way," he xesolved. " I will follow her by the next steamer, overtake t>nd persecute her until she consents to marry me to get rid of sue." . ,

When Lillie heard the news she wrote to

Grace, asking her to spend a few days with Her at Mrs Herbert'a before she went off for " such an age ;" and including Maude's rather formal indorsement of the invitation Maude hod never forgiven Grace for playing traitor with Oscar. She did not dream of the treacherous part which Vance had acted to bring about the separation. j When Grace received the letter she was divided between two desires. She hated Vance Stuyvesant, and wanted to keep away from him; at the same time she j longed, with a aad, desolate longing, to be I with Oscar's friends, to talk with them and

gather up such chance crumbs of information as they might drop. Sho believed that Mrs Herbert knew where he had gone, and she wanted to make friends with her, in the hope tbat sho could put her into a communicative mood. After a night's deliberation she ordered ber maid to pack a trunk or two, and telegraphing to lillio that she was coming, she went down by the afternoon train. " What in the world do you want prowling about Europe and Asia for?" asked Lillie, that evening at tho tea-table. " I should not think you would enjoy if., with only your aunt for company and v maid and courier to take care of you. You ought to reserve that trip, Grace dear, for your wedding tour." _ Li'lie was Vance s champion, and would, like to have helped on tho match. _ I "I shall never marry," said Grace, with a Bigh. Then eho blushed and hung her head to ■have spoken so earnestly before Mr Herbert. , I "Besides, Lillie, we are not to travel

alone as you infer. A party of friends is | going along." (

" Ia tho company full or will moro volun-teer-si be received?" asked Viir.cc. Grace hardly k-jpw v hrr reply ro make If lie thrust lihti-.-If upon tho ptriy si' l would retire from it; yet. sho could scarcely bo so rude as io tell him so at his sister's table. •

" I shall havo to refer you to tho managers," sho finally replied. "I am only an unimportant member of the company." " I shall apply at once then." "IE you both go I shall bo tempted," said Lillio. '•How about Mr and Mra Herbert ?" asked Grace, looking at them. " Oh, I couldn't think of it," responded Maude. "The aad tidings which we received when we wero abroad has given me a distaste to the thought of another foreign tour. But I would not object to Lillie's going, if she could be properly matronised."

After tea one and another visitor dropped in, until Mrs Herbert's prettily decorated parlour was full of a gay company of ladies and gentlemen. Lillio waa a grea l -. favourite in society, and the young people came to see her, while Maude also had ber circle. Maude, whose manner toward Miss Delzemar was ns cold as it could bo and yet remain perfectly courteous, watched her during tho evening with more interest than she had expected to feel in her, for she saw under Grace's assumed gaiety a deep, unconquerable sadness, which revealed to her that that young lady was far from heartloss. Breaking her engagement had come near to breaking her hoart. This observation softened her very much toward Grace, though she could net fully forgive he-. Ono thing — sho resolved that Vance should not have her. Toward the close of tho evening, Mrs rlovbott being at the time disengaged, Grace came to her with a light shawl. " 80, pleaso, Mra Herbert, walk with me a few momenti about the grountla, I've been peoping from the piazza, and it is magnificent out of doors." Maude was a little surprised, but at once consented to go. They passed out quietly, to escape observation,, and wandered out into tho flower-bordorod walks. It was a glorious night, with a soft, warm air, and a full moon shining out of a cloudless sky. Thoy rambled on until they came to a rustic Bofa under a tree. "Would you mind sitting hero a few moments, dear Mrs Herbert'" They Bat down. For some time there was silence. Maude was waiting to hear what her companion had to say. Instead, she heard a sob. " Why, Grace, what is it ?" she asked, more softly than eh?, had yet spoken, "Why are you so cold tome, Maude?" cried Grace, ia return, as if that were all her trouble. "Am I cold to you ?" "You know that you are. You are offended with me." "Not without reason, Miss Delzctnar," and the young matron turned and looked full in the tear-wet face. " Perhapa you do not understand all, Mrs Herbert I" "Porhaps I understand all far more clearly than you do, Grace. I blame you fer breaking with my brother before seeing bim and hearing what ho had to say. It was almost aa bad in you os if you had already been hia wife. Think !in a few more weeks you would have been hia wifo !" "Yes," brushing away her tears, and flushing in the white moonlight; "that ia the thing for which I condemned Oscar. Ho tried to hurry our marriage, so that it would be too late for me to retract." "Ah !" said Maude, with stinging sarcasm. "Of course ho know that Black Friday was comiDg and laid his plans accordingly. " Well, that waa what his own brother told me." Who? Vance?" cried Mrs Herbert, sharply. " Yea, Maude. AVhen I heard that Oscar was in trouble, I forgot my maidenlydelicacy enough to rush to iS'ew York by tho first train. 1 stopped at Mrs Woodcroft's, and sent him a nolo that I waa there, waiting to sco him —to assure him of my sympathy—my love. lie never came near me ! Think of that, Maudo I Think of tho outrage to my feelings- - , and to my faith in him ! Worse, ho seat Mr Stuyvesant in his place, to make his apologies. Vance felt so sorry for mo that ho went fuithor than his instructions. He told me, for my benefit, what Oacar had confided to him—that he waa not marryiut?' me for love, bnt for the suitability of tho connection, to pleaae friends, and for my money. That was a little too much I Bo you blame me, Mrs Herbert, that I returned to Boston—he never even calling upon me —and sent him hia dismissal ?" " My brother didn't lovo you ?" repeated Maude —" didn't lovey out You never made a greatermi-take in yourlife, MissDelzemar. I rather think I know. Ho adored you. No woman in the world was over better loved. He worshipped the withered 11 :wers you had cast away, the earth on which you had walked. It was a cruel blow you struck hirra when you sent him that curt note. It struck to his heart. AH his losses had not discouraged him until he received your letter Then he hung his head ; then he turned from the few friends left him. For your sake ho is a homeless wanderer far away. But, Grace, lam astonished at what you say about your visit to New York. This ia the first I ever heard of it. lam positive that Oscar knew nothing of it at tho time, tor afterward." " But my note," gasped Miss Delzemar, " which I sent by a servant ? He said the gentleman received it at the hall-door." " And Vance came to you shortly after-

ward ?" " _es. He came and told me what I have told you." " Then it was Vance who received, read, and answered your summons. Traitor, villain, falae friend and brother I" " But why ehould he havo thus deceived me ?' faltered GraGe, who had been wespiog violently ever sinca Maude's eloquent outburst in defence of her brother's love, " Can you ask me, Miss Delzemar ? Whore is your quick apprehension 1 Was not Vance Siuyvesant jealous ? Is he not now milking love to you ? He' was determined to get Oacar out of his way. You fell into the snare as easily as the silliest little bird. It was you who was lacking in true love, Grace," reproachfully. Grace buried her face ia hor hands, murmuring : " You do not know—you do not know." "No," wenton Maude with spirit; "I was the only one to believe him, to pity him, to seek to save him from the wounds which others hastened to give. Ido not wonder that you havo made a cynic of him. But I have my triumph nosy over all of you. I have discovered i'ie whole of Vance's plot against his brother. I will tell you all about it ; I will prove to you the steps he took to ruin —'' "Maudo, whore are you?" called out a gay, sweet voice not three steps away. The next moment Vanco burst through the rose-bushes near by and atood smiling before them, his clear-cut, dark face mocking handsome in the silver light. ' "Two women I" he exclaimed. "Now, if it bad been a lady and a gentleman I should not havo been surprised. The moonlight is certainly enticing. It is lustrous with romance fcaamiiig, with suggestion. Ah, if you bad invited m,i to enjoy it with you, Miss Del/.emar I" " I will tell you more to-morrow," hastily whimpered Mrs Herbert. "It is time you, camo for us, Vance ; I shall get scolded as it ia for remaining out so long. You, too, Grace—that veil is not sufficient protection.

| We will all go in." t When they reached the bouse, Grace, who knew- that her eyes would betray tbat she had been crying, would not enter theparlour but at once went up to ber loom. '• Can't you slip ia, before you go to bed ?" she asked Mrs Herbert in a whisper, at the foot of the staircase. "I am dying, Maude, to hear all, now that you have told me so much."

" I will try, Grace ; but, if I fail, I dare say you will live till to-morrow." "Indeed! indeed! Maude, you are too severe with me," pleadingly. '-'Say goodnight to Lillie for me, will you ? and tell her not to come to my room, for-for—l cannot—"

Here Grace broke down, and hurried upstairs to hide herself in her moon-lighted chamber.

Vance followed Mrs Herbert into tho parlour. But one or two callers remained, and theso soon departed ; Mr Herhert had already retired, and Lillio was yawning.

"Go to bed, duckie," said Vance to her. "I want you to be up early to-mot row} and in your brightest humour. If there's a breath of a*r, I'm going to take you all out sailing. The I'nr-lne's in tip-top order, and I want to show her off.''

"I'd like a yachting picnic mightily' 1 Slid Lillic, and wont off to bed. They wore now alone together, and Vance turned on Mrs Herbert with a complete change of manner. His dark face was ciimson, his teeth set, his eyes gleaming.

"I heard a little of your pleasant conversation, this night, Maude. I heard you tell the woman I love that I was a traitor and a villain; and promise to prove it to

her. You pretend truthfulness, yet pro- | miscd that you would give mv threo t mollis" ! N t. to make love to Owe !.:. Va-it-f ' ! .;.:■•; i ■, .1 you rbv»' already broken your; pai tot t!» contract." j " What do you want to do, Maude to | drive me to despair ? 1 will not live to be denounced and disgraced before her." Sho shrunk a little under his blazing eyes ; but answered him bravely : "You denounced and disgraced Oscar, when he waa guiltless. He shall be exonerated in Graco'a opinion, let what will come. It is important to her happiness and to Oscar's. I would spare you, if I could— but I see no way. Grace must be made to understand what ha* boen done. As far as she is concerned, consider yourself disgraced. But the remainder of the world ahall receive no information-from me." " Confound the remainder of the world I She is the world, to me I Maude, Maude ! don't ruin mcl" "I shall state tho facts to Miss Delzernar." " But I love her I Ha never loved her as I do ! Cold-blooded egotist, ho is not capable of such passion. Don't interfere between us, Maude." " I shall do what is right." " Right, right I" snceringly. "Of course it is right for you to send mo to perdition with all my sins on my head. Don't forgive a poor fellow for boing tempted, llaudo I —that's theway withyouChristians, If I could win Grace, sho would make a good man of me. 1 havo noble impulses, Maude, as well as bad ones. I need a woman's hand to guide mo, Give mo ibis one chance."

Sho was net unmoved by his words, angry and coaxing by turns ; sho would have done anything for him, except to allow her brother to remain under a cloud, whilo the real culprit wont unc.ondemnod. As there was no way to defend ono save by expound the other, she remained firm. "Marry some good woman then," she said, " but not Grace Sho would havo boen Oscar's wife long ago, but for you ; and sho shall yot. Nothing can turn mo from it, I solemnly assure you."

He raised hia hand in an ungovernablo passion which tempted him to strike hor; she stood resolute, and his hand fell ; with a mutterod imprecation he turned on his l;ej'.

Maude lay awake long that night, half expecting to be startled by the report of a pistol in Vance's room. No such alarm occurred. But when tho others gathered about the breakfast table ho did not make his appearaneo. This was a common occur renco; but Mrs Herbert, feeling uneasy, sent aservaut to his apart ment, who returned, siy'ng that Mr Stuyvesant had gone out, and handing her a noto addroseed to her and left on Vance'a dressing-table.

She opened it and read

"My Sweetkst Sis: I loirn'd 03car's address from some letters ia your desk. I am going after him. A guerrilla could bo hired to kill a man for five dnllais in that country. Gcod-by, for dovii."

She turned pale for a moment ; and then tried to bolievo it some of Vance's bravado.

{To be Continued.)