Was She Wife or Widow?

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 43, 20 February 1892, Page 4 (Supplement)

Was She Wife or Widow?

Bt Malcolm Bell. Author of" His Fatal Success," "Roanoke of Roanoke Hall," etc.

IN SIX NUMBERS.—NUMBER 1

CHAPTER XVl.—(Continued.)

'I will be revenged somehow. I can have Professor Purfleet punished for leaving me, and I wili,' cried Bertha.

' I am afraid that you will have to go o n the parish and live on bread and skilly t° do that, and I don't think you would find that altogether agreeable to your habits' 'I would do even worse than that if I could so obtain my ends,' she said. « But that can wait till he is found. Meantime I am his representative, and I refuse my consent entirely.' ' Take care, Bertha,' he said. *Wo can manage it without your permission, you know.'

'Of course you can,' she replied, scornfully, 'if you care to descend to such a contemptible artifice, fittb you do ib a"t your own risk. Gladys is ab presenb completely dependent upon * me. By her father's will, ib she.inherits a con-siderable-fortune, bub that f6r ' time to come is no more use than so much waste paper. I cannot watch her so closely that you shall be unable to marry her by stealth, bub not one farthing 6hall she receive from me if you do. You know whebher you are in a posibion to support her without, or not.'

Herbert knew, as well as she did, that he was not. Still less than ever, now thab he folb bhab the ill-starred professor was under his care ; bub ib was nob this reflection which caused him to answer fiercely :

' You know perfectly well, Bertha, thab I should never think of such a thirig. If you persist in your refusal, we must wait. After all, she will be of age in a year.'

' And bhen will come inbo ber mother's fortune,' said Bertha, mockingly. ' Well, wait, wait, by all means. But do not be too sanguine. Much may happen in a year.' * What do you mean ?' he cried, startled by the expression of her face, and the malevolence with which bhe few words were inspired.

' "Mean V " she said, flushing. • I mean thab you may repenb of this curious and inexplicable forgiveness. Thab you may find cause bo regret your precipibate complacency.'

'Berth!' he exclaimed, angrily, rising to his feet. ' Do nob dare again to breathe such insinuations in my presence. Think shame of yourself for harbouring such evil thoughts. What right have you to pass such judgment upon one who is as innocent as she is beautiful "

She shrank back, manifestly alarmed at the vehemence with which he übtered the last words, bub ib was with an affectation of supreme indifference that she replied : •Oh, very well., If you are satisfied, I have no more to say. Let us allow,, then, that you may change your mind. That you may weary of her affection, and learn to

appreciate a love which now you trample scornfully under your feet.' ' Never 1' cried Herberb. 'All my happiness is bound up in Gladys, and neither you nor anyone else will succeed in tearing her out of my hearb and life.' ■ «Do nob be boo sure,' she answered, with flashing eyes. 'Life is uncertain.' As ho turned on his heel and left the room without further answer, she gazed after him for a moment, her features drawn with the agony of her mind, and then flung herself face downwards on the couch in a passion of stormy tears, gnawing the embroidered cushion, her breast filled with mad anger and longing for a hideous revenge on Gladys. •He loves her. He loves ber, she thought, and then as the blank future rose before her, »if she were dead. If she were only dead !'

CHAPTER XVII

HOW A SCHEME WAS THWARTED,

What would be bhe end of ib all ? was a question thab henceforbh broubled nob Herberb alone, bub Gladys and Professor Purfleeb. That things could not continue long as they were was obvious to all three, but not one of them could suggest a solution of the difficulty. The unfortunate professor's researches in quest of an antidote to that disastrous draught had proved altogether fruitless, and it became clear in time" that all hope of escape for him from his present form and posibion musb be finally abandoned. Pelew he was,_ and Pelew he must remain till death relieved him—if, indeed, thab release awaibed him— for he did nob know how complete the action of the mixture might me, and it was quite within the bounds of possibility that its effects • were permanent and that he was doomed to remain the same age for ever. Under the circumstances, what was to 'be done? Herbert's income had never served for more than a sufficient support to himself and his mother, and a long illness that had befallen her that year had made considerable inroads upon his resources. Come what might, he declared bo himself, nothing should induce him to restrict her allowance in any way. Any sacrifices thab must be made, and he foresaw that they must undoubtedly be many, should be made by him nob her. In the meantime absolute penury came nearer and nearer every day. He did his best to conceal the straitened state of his affairs from his old friend, bub even when he discovered it, as he unavoidably did in the end, no relief came from that. The professor, to be sure, wished to insist upon ceasing to be c burden upon his shoulders; but as without his support he musb speedily have fallen a ricbim bo absolute starvation, Herberb would not hear of his withdrawing. Whore, indeed, could he go and whab could he do? Though having skill and knowledge, the professor was as incapable of earning a livelihood bhen as the newest student at the college.

If anything had been decided there ib might have removed some of their anxiety, but the term was drawing to a close and tbe council seemed |to consider ib unnecessary bo make any permanent arrangements until the next should commence. Herberb conbinued bo deliver his daily lecbure, and the professor to acb in his humble position of subordinate, bub nothing had been broached as to any recompense for these services, and fearing to damage any prospect he migbb have of promotion to the vacant post, he refrained from pressing the question unless he was absolutely forced to do so.

He was dismally enough debating with the professor how much longer this dangerous step could be postponed, when the latter suddenly thought of a remedy. - flow stupid I am I' he exclaimed. 'Why should nob I get Gladys to cash another cheque ?' • "Another cheque !"' said Herbert, who in his preoccupation had forgotten altogether the cause thab had broughb aboub his discovery of bhe evil wroughb by bhe fabal pobion. ' yes,' answered the professor. * Don't you remember ? It is simple enough. I draw the cheque to Gladys.sign it.antedate ib, and she obtains the money without difficulty.' ' Bub suppose' bhe question is raised as to how she came by it ?' objected Herbert.

• Why, then she musb give the same explanation as she did before, namely, that I lefb bhem with her before I went away. There is no harm in it. The money is undeniably mine, and I have a perfect riaht to sign a cheque and get it. Ib is my misfortune that I am prevented by this infernal metamorphosis from appearing and laying claim to my own property in person.'

• It's rather risky,' said Herbert, doubtfully. ' Bertha's watchfulness is now fully aroused, and any little thing might serve to confirm her suspicions and lead her into an investigation which might result in her discovering who you really are.'

' Of course, it is risky,' said the professor, testily ; ' but even if she finds me oub, she cannob kill me, however unpleasant she may make things for me ; and, anyhow, it is bebter bo bake the chances of an unknown and nob inovitable evil than to perish slowly of hunger in the midst of plenty. I will make it for a small amount, and we must run the hazard.'

Neither of tnem imagined what the risk meant. Neither foresaw what disaster lurked within the folds of that little piece of coloured paper. The cheque was filled in for twenty pounds, made payable to Gladys, and signed by the professor. Herberb himself took it round on one of his visits. It was endorsed by her, presented, duly paid, and once more twenty pounds in good red gold stood between them and poverty. It was so just and honest a procSediher, so simple to apply for and obtain the money, and so fatal in the end. The pressing money troubles thus easily and satisfactorily exorciged_neace did not yet return to pillow. He was growing seriously alarmed aboub Gladys' health. The incessant persecution to which ehe was subjected was, he feared, beginning to tell upon her nerves; and he raged impotently ab his inability to assist her in any way. He compelled Bertha to call in medical advice; bub this did not seem to afford the poor girl any relief. Day by day she grew weaker and weaker, paler and paler, until she was no more than tho phantom of her former self. In vain Herberb urged Bertha to send her into the country for change of air. She only answered with her former insinuations with regard to his intention of marrying her against her wishes. His request that she herself would take her was meb first by scornful laughter at his apprehensions, next by hesitating consideration, and finally by sudden acceptance. When she had once decided to go, she seemed strangely eager to put the plan into execution, and would not rest until a near date had been fixed for their departure

The nighb before' they were to leave town, Herbert went round to say * Goodbye ' to Gladys, and found her lying on a couch, weak and ill, complaining of shooting pains in head and limbs. As he was soothing her and endeavouring to cheer her with pictures of the wonderful effects bhab country life would havo upon her health, and how soon she would be coming back quits well and strong again, he happened to look up, and met Bertha's dark unfathomable eyes fixed upon them with a singular expression of gratified malice. She instantly averted her gaze, but the very quickness of the action gave further life to a hideous suspicion that had suddenly sprung up in his mind." '" 'Where is your prescription, Gladys?' he asked, when Bertha had lefb bhcnvtogether. ;■_*'

' Here,' she B&id,and gave ib to himr"^'

glanced over it, and saw thab ib was a i powerful tonic, containing among other ingredients a modicum of Btrychnine. •Have you your medicine here?' he next inquired; and, having obtained it, carried it to bhe lamp, which stood upon » bable ab some libtle distance. There, under pretence of examining it, he managed, withoub attracting her attention, to pour a portion of the mixture into an empty bottle which he fortunately found at hand.

«I will come around to-morrow and sea you before you go,' he said, as he took hit leave.

'We shall be starting early,' said Bertha, who had returned some time before.

•Ab whab time do you propose to leave Waterloo ?' he asked.

' By the ten-five,' she answered. • Oh, never fear,' said Herbert, coldly, ' I shall manage to get there in time.'

Late that night, after several hours' careful work, Herberb fell back in bhe chair from which he had nob sbirred since his reburn, with a terrible groan of agony. ' She musb bo mad !' he murmured, hoarsely, between his clenched teeth. »She musb be mad !'

His worst suspicions had been fearfully confirmed. He had been engaged in making a minutely accurate quantitative analysis of the medicine he had abstracted from the bottle Gladys had given him, and had found that there was in it nearly twice as much strychnine as there should have been. It might, of course, have been an error of the man who made up the prescription, but the name on the label was that of a well-known chemist, in whom such a mistake was almost incredible.

The villanoua cunning and simplicity of the scheme, on the other hand, were so manifest. By whab means Berbha had succeeded in reducing bhe girl's strength bo such an extent Herbert did not know, and had no means of ascertaining, but that she had in some way done so, clearly forecasting what should happen, what had happened, he did nob doubt. At his suggestion a doctor had been called in, and, as mighb have been anticipated, had exhibited a tonic containing strychnine. To surreptitiously increase the quantity of poison by degrees was easy, and when finally death resulted, if any question came to be asked, the presence of the drug could be fully and satisfactorily accounted for. Ib was so easy, so safe, and so nearly successful.

Now, whab was he to do ? Thab Bertha was mad he felt convinced, but it would be impossible to prove it without revealing the fiendish plot he had unmasked, and from thab he shrank for many reasons. The horror and disgrace appalled him. A nabural disinclination to take a stop thab might, for all he knew, bring the insane, misguided woman to the gallows, held him back. That he of all men should wreak such dire vengeance upon tbe wife of his old friend, the father of the girl he was about to marry, was too terrible bo contemplate. Yet ab any cost Gladys must be saved.

After much thought he believed he bad found his way. Bertha was still young and clung to life, and he, if anyone, had some influence over her. She would doubtless pursue her damnable machinations to the end, if she thought she could do so with impunity, bub if she once knew that she was detected,' that the sword was -suspended above her and would fall upon her, released by the hand of the one person she loved on earth besides herself, she would nob dare bo carry further her contemplated crime.

With anxious care he weighed every probability, for did not bhe life thab was dearest bo him in all the world depend upon his decision ? If he made a mistake, if he overrated, by a grain's weight, bhe amount of bis, influence, tbe power of Bertha's fears of ignominy and death, Gladys was left, and he would feel himself, as much as Bertha, guilby'of her murder. It was an awful question to decide, and the sky without was purple with the coming dawn before he had finally determined that he was perfectly safe in taking the course he had originally proposed to himself. Worn out as he was with work and care, he did nob dare to go to bed lest he should fall asleep, and bhe last chance of life losb to Gladys, during his slumbers. Having taken a bath to refresh his aching limbs, he dressed again, and going oub made his way to the Regents Park, bhe gates of which had nob long been opened. Here he sat down upon a bench and presently fell asleep, waking with a ghastly terror clutching at his heart, a fear that he had slept too long, that the fatal hour had struck, only to find that by bis watch barely ten minutes had slipped away. Waa his watch right? It was going, to be,sure, but it mighe have lost. Not, venturing to take another nap, he walked until he found a clock, and when ha hud satisfied himself bhab his wabch was quite correcb, walked again, half sleeping, half awake, as the light brightened overhead, reburning afber a while bo bhe clock, which somehow seemed bo him more reliable, and saw bhab ib was only half-pasb six. Suddenly a new-born terror overwhelmed him. Whab if Bertha had read the suspicion in his face the night beforehand, driven to desperation, had madly completed her work?

No, he assured himself bhab was impossible. She could nob have guessed ; and if she had, she would never dare to brave his answer and his vengeance in such a fashion. Nevertheless he could no longer rest in bhe Eark, bub started off towards the Purfleets' ouse bwo hours before bhey were bimed bo sbarb. Sometimes he ran breathlessly, until be saw the dubious wonder in the eyes of early stirrers. Then he slackened his pace for a while, only to break into a run again at last. The clock was striking eight as he turned tho corner—eight. Was he still in time, he wondered, or was all over, and. was he doomed henceforth to associate the toiling of that morning hour will the ill-omened bell of St. Sepulchre's Church ?

•Eight, but "a"eati already stood-before the door: Already one box rested on the roof; another at that moment was being hoisted up. He had nob been mistaken, he thoughb, with an odd feeling of savage joy. The door was open, and a servant stood upon the steps as he passed in.

' Take down those boxes,' he said to the girl, who stared at his grim and haggard aspect. * Your mistress will nob go oub of town to-day. Bring them in again.' As she wonderingly obeyed, he stepped into the dining-room. Bertha stood there alone, smiling at her own reflection, as she arranged her bonnet-strings before the mirror over the mantel-piece.

ItNow, then, aren't you ready yet ?' she said, snappishly, and burned.

• Yes, I am quite ready,' he said.

• Herbert !' she cried, brokenly, and fell back against the shelf behind her, gazing ab him with starting eyes. ' I want bo speak bo you,' he said. * Sib down.' And having locked bhe door and pub the key into his pocket, he book a seat, while she sank, pale and shivering, into a chair opposite.

(To be Continued.)