A TRAGIC MYSTERY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 50, 1 March 1893, Page 6

A TRAGIC MYSTERY.

BY JULIAN KAWTHOBXE.

CHAPTBR XII BAL-MASQUE.

On the night of January 19th, 1882, there was unwonted stir and bustle on East Fourteenth Street. The windows of the Academy of Music were all alight, the adjoining streets swarmed with a crowd on foot and in carnages, and the rhythmical beat oi music sounded from within above the tumultuous roar and confusion of the throng outside. It was a clear, cold night, euch as makes the steps and the spirits lively. But what was going on ? Did any prima donna, even the only Patti hereelf, ever attract so vastand promiscuous in audience ? And what were these figures, clad in grotesque or brilliant costumes, and with masks ou their faces, who filled the hacka and carnages, and were continually alighting at the entrance and disappearing at the door? Was this an opara in which the entire body of spectators played and dressed the parts ?

Ib was something of that kind, for ifc was the annual French ball—one of the few surviving picturesque features of New York life. It occupied a unique position _ among: metropolitan amusements ; its end and aim being aa innocent and beneficent as those of the charity ball, and the fashiouable world being still, to a large extent, either secretly or openly its patrons; while at tho same time the lights of the nebher world, who, during the rest of the year suffer involuntary eclipse within their apportioned limits, shine out on this simple occasion with a sinister and exultant brilliancy, and Btrive to make amends to themselves for their three hundred and Bixty-four days' pariahhood. Such a contrast and combination are not eeen elsewhere; and ib is no marvel that the French masqued ball is looked forward to with intense curiosity by onehalf of tho community, and with undisguised eagerness by the other. In that vast ballroom, vice and respectability, if they do not go arm in arm, at least go shoulder to shoulder; and possibly the impartial observer (could there be such a one) might smile a little sadly to find that the points of difference between the two opposing elements should appear so tew, and the points of resemblance so many.

Bab, leaving aside the ethical aspect 9of the spectacle, ib would be difficult to exaggerate its fascination as a mere feast to the eye and ear. The mighty hall is glorious with drapery of flags and sparklo of light?, a glowing splendor of colour and effulgence. The broad semicircular sweep of boxes and balconies is alive with the flutter of lace, the sheen of silk and satin, the waving ot feathers and the gleam of jewellery. On the spacious floor the Bcone is still moro bnllia.ibly bewildering. There gaiety lays aside restraint, and prudence forgets to be reserved. The blaze of lights encompasses and shines down upon an area swarming with rainbow tints and gaudy with gold and tinsel. The radianca is caught up and multiplied by the facets of precious gems, and by eyes not less bright in hue and lustre. Fantastic head gear and grotesque masks sway and mingle, the flotsam and jetsam of a human sea ; gay dominoes flutter, ricli robes rustle, glance flashes to glance in challenge and reply, white shoulders shine and shapely arms rise and fall; a thousand shifting form?, graceful, stately,, comic, awkward, are meeting, partings swinging, flying, changing, in a polychromatic chaos. Here are knights in armour, gallant cavaliers, motley clowns, checkered harlequins, queens and gypsies, pages and paladins, flower-girla and goddesses, wild Indians and water nymphs — all the characters that imagination could suggest or fancy describe. Strangely contrasting with this carnival attire were the black dress-coats and white shirt-fronts of various unmasked guesta, who strayed across the floor and lounged against the walls. Here and there a circle of onlookers formed round a group of the more fantastic and reckless dancers, nnd their cheers, jsers, laughter and hubbub floated up to the lofty roof, and were absorbed and lost in the throbbing tones of musical melody that flowed through all and over all, intoxicating the brain and firing the blood, stimulating, harmonising and transfiguring everything. The pendant banners trembled, and tho warm air was rich with indistinguishable perfumes.

From before nine o'clock until long after midnight the crowd continued to augment, and the fun to grow faster and more furious. In the streets without, tho vehicles were massed so thickly that one could have crossed from side to side by walking on their roofs. Innumerable were erie?, oaths, complaints and objurgations proceeding from the drivers of these jammed and strugtrlin"- conveyances; and the policemen on duty"had need of iron lanea and endurance, adamantine firmness and imperturbable temper, to keep the mass in anything approaching to order, and to provide those who were trying to get in with an opportunity to overcome the opposition of those who wore struggling to get away. One of those vehicles, a handsome private coupe, demands our particular attention. Ib was in ths line of approach, and would probably arrive at the entrance in less than ten minutes. Its occupants were two women one clad in an orange, the other in a blue domino; and at this moment they were conversing earnestly together in tho French language. •You are quite cure you understand what you are to do, Elise?' said the blue ' Perfectly, madamo. And, at the worst, I do not see how there can be any danger.' 'Ah! if my husband were to discover our expedition !' exclaimed the blue domino, with a nervous movement of the Bhf WcTneed not fear thaf ; fchere can be no doubt that he went to Philadelphia by the evening train. Hecannotireturn before tOTcarn7ot feel easy. I should have told him everything. I wish I had !' _ . rp|, e latter was particular in saying that ho must know nothing about it.' .Ah j but a letter that ia anonymous! If tho writer meant honestly, why should ha not Pi^n his name ? Besides, I can nob iraapino what ib is that he would say to me. Louis ia dead, and there is no one else but n v husband ; yeb letter says, "to give you important news of one very near to you." Who can it be V " 'That we shall coon find out, madame, replied she who was called Elise; 'and ft all events no harm can come to you The porson-whoevor ho he-will speak to the orange domino who wears Self, and if I find what bo has to say » reSyof importance I will excuse myself ™ a moment and we car, put our scheme ° execution. If, on the contrary, he is an impS, it vdll.be easy for us to give him tho mio aiid retire. •Wet!'.-aid the oihor with an anxious sigh, 'I will hope that no calamity may ocunr For heaven's eako, fchse, bo careful to make no mistake. Vo you remember the directions aa to wnere you are to meet him?1 , • Trust mo, 1 have them by heart. And now, here wo are !' , The carriage topped as ehe;peke, and an attonrlßiit in the dress of a Movsguetaire opened the .ioor. The ladies alighted and Uasfceuod up tho steya, over which a reel

carpet had been thrown. Passing through the door where their tickets were taken by another costumed official, they made their way to the ladies' drawing-room, and thence to the balcony, whence they desired to take a preliminary inspection of the house and company, and, if possible, to pick out the person whom they were to meet—for he hod minutely described the fashion of hid disguise. At first the spectacle impressed them as one of mere gorgeous confusion and intricate movement, amid which it was impossible to extinguish separate fipures. By degrees, however, they became somewhat accustomed to the splendid turmoil and were able to discriminate between the dancers and the on-lookers, aad then to pick out certain noticeable individuals. But they looked in vain for the man in the white doublet and hose, with the blue star on his back and the empty bird cage in his hand, such being tho costume of tho unknown writer of the letter. It was a dress likely to bo conspicuous even in so bewildering an assemblage as this : nevertheless, if he had as yet arrived, he escaped their scrutiny. But it was only a quarter past eleven; and the appointed hour was still fifteen minutes distant.

While Elise and the lady in the blue domino were thus oocupied, two persons entered the box adjoining theirs, and sat down there. One of them was a rather thin man with a slight stoop in his shoulders; he wore ordinary dress and had a black silk mask over the upper part of his face, and carried a black domino thrown across his arm. The other was a big, clumsy fellow, with a course red face and a huge goodhumored mouth. He wore no pretense of disguise, but had on a rough and extremely shabby overcoat, a knit woollen comforter round his thick neck and an incredibly dirty pair of buckskin driving gloves on his hands. He looked like a hack-driver oub of the street), and he was, in fact, no other than our old friend Mcßride,

'Now,' said Mcßribe's companion, as soon as they were seated, ' you must use your eyes and pick him out. You're quite sure ib was him you saw ab the enbrauce?'

1 That I am then, and no error,' returned the hackman, confidently. 'I know'd him as quick as I clapped eyes on him. 'Twas the man himself—height, weight, grey whiskers, and all. 'Twas him 1 drove that Saturday night before New Years, and no other at all!'

• How did you see his face ? Didn't he wear a mask ?'

' That he did sir ; bub 'twas this way : I was sbandin' there on the steps, bein' just settled with my fare, and puttin' the change in my purse, when he drives up in a hansom and jumps out right forninsb me. He had his domino on then —a red one it was—and the mask on his face, but he book a roll of notes out of hia pocket, an' lookin' for a dollar bill amongst 'em, he shoves up the mask on his forehead oub of the way. I suspected him afore, but I knew him then as well aB I know the taste of a glass of whisky.' •It's lucky I happened to be on hand,' muttered the thin man, half to himself. ' Ib was just a chance ; 1 dropped in on my way down to the office. He didn't have the woman with him, you say?' he added. ' He did nob, sir ; leastways she wasn'b in the hansom with him, but mebbe he came here to meet her.'

'I'd like to know whab he did como here for, by the way,1 muttered the obher ; ' and I'll find out, too, if my luck continues. Can't you see him yet V ' Faith, 'tis as bad as trying to count the stars when you're drunk !' said Mcßride, screwing up his eyes and drawing his brows together. ' 'Twould be a tough job enough if they'd all of 'em stand still; but movin' around that way—l can't do it young man, and that's all about it.'

'Come down stairs again, then,' 9aid the thin man; ' we may oomo across him in the bails or on the floor;' and rising abruptly he led the way out, moving with a sort of shambling gait, while the hackman Btumped heavily after him. The lady in the blue domino followed their departure with startled eyes, and then laid an agitated grasp on her companion's arm. 'Elise,' she said, 'I am nlmoeb sure I hare heard that cabman's voice before, and I half believe I recognise him. Did he not say something about the Saturday night before New Year ?' ' That he drove some one on that night ? Yes, bub what of it?' ' Mon Dku /' don't you remember it was on that night that my husband and I went . Ah ! let us go home at once. If thi3 should be he, I am lost!' 'How so? I do not understand you, madam.' 'Assuredly ib is not difficult. He said that he saw the man whom he drove that night standing on the steps this evening. If that be co, my husband is here at this moment ; probably he has heard that I am here and is looking for us. There is no timo to lose: quick, leb us return at once, before he finds us.'

' Indeed, madam,' said Elise, in a reassuring tone, ' I am sure you are quite mistaken. Even if your husband were here, it would be impossible for him to recognise you ; bub there is no reason to suppose that he is'within one hundred miles of us. As for your recognising the cabman, they talk all alike, and look very much alike, too. And jusb think how many scores of cabmen must have driven gentlemen about on the Saturday before New Year ; it ia certainly nob likely that, of them all, this should have been the one who drove you. Look there!' she exclaimed, suddenly breaking off, and pointing down on the floor. *No there ! under the greab flag ab the corner ot tho stage. There ho ia—white doublet, blus star, bird-cage and all. Come, madam, since you have risked so much, do not leb us give up at the lastmomenb ! Remember that it is I who am to speak with him.'

1 It is fortunate,' returned tho other, in a tremulous tone. 'I am so alarmed I could do nothing, no matter how greab the urgency. Ido nob comprehend, Elise, how you can be so self-possessed. You are evon different from usual.' •I feel different,' answered the girl, laughing and rising. •My mask makes me feel free. It is as if I were invisible. lam afraid of nothing and of nobody. I never realised till now how delightful ib is to be emancipated from one's self. People who are tired of the world should pub on masks ; it would relieve them as much as suicide, and they could return to themsslvos when they choose, which suicides can not. lam sure this must be the reason why the French ball is so popular.' , 'It is horrible ! returned the lady in the blue domino, dismally ; 'I wish I was safe away from it.' Nevertheless, she permitted her companion to lead her down stairs, and on to tho floor of the great ball-room. Here they threaded their way in and oub aa best they might, until they found themselves near that part of the hall which had been designated as the trysting-place. This was on the right-hand side of tho stage about four paces beyond the first stage-box. It haa the advantage of being somewha removed from the throng of revellers ; and, as Wise at once perceived, it was also desirable tor another'reason. A broad piece of red baize was stretched from the edge of the box to one of tho flies further up the stago, serving as a temporary partition wall between tbe stage and the outer regions behind the scenes; but also affording an excellent place ot concealment, from behind which a person coutf hear all that was said on the hithor side of it. Rapidly explaining this circumstance to the lady in the bluo domino Elise looked about for an aperture through which the hiding-place might be reached, and she soon found a crevice between two ot ttie uprighb boams supporting the awning, veiled by a curtain of drapery, and just wido enough to admit of a person slipping through ib. Tho two ladies passed through

accordingly and proceeded amid odds and ends of scenery and other theatrical lumber to the rear of the red baize partition, Here she left her ensconced in a sort of accidental inclosuro of ' flats ' and packingcases and returned to the stage where she found the personage in the white doublet awaiting her, his bird-cage in his hand.

She passed slowly in front of him without appearing to notice him, but as soon as he caught sight of her he approached, scrutinised her carefully for a moment, and then said, stepping in front of her, ' Goodevoning, orange flower ! Have you seen my parrot ?'

' I have,' replied Eliae, ' And it told me I should find Sugar-loaf here.'

'So hero we are!' replied the white doublet.

This intellectual bit of dialogue had been prescribed beforehand by the writer of tho anonymous letter to complete the identification of the interlocutors to one another, and prevent any possibility of mistake.

As soon as the words had been spoken the stranger continued in an undertone, 'It is all right. Come with me to a place where we can talk at our ease.'

' No!' said Elise, in a disguised tone, bub promptly and decidedly. 'You must speak hero or not at all. What do you want with me ?' She had withdrawn a few steps, and now stood within a few inches of the baize partition, on the other side of which the lady in the blue domino was ensconced.

'Just as you like,' rejoined the other, coming close to her. 'Is is more to your interest than to mine that we should not be overheard, I want to speak to you about a person called Louis Hanier.'

The girl was silent a moment, then she said quietly, ' Well, I am listening.'

'I know the nature of your relations with him, and it depends upon me whether they are made known to every one. Do you understand ?'

' I had no relations with him which I should be unwilling to have known. Is that all you have to tell mo ?'

' It is no use taking that tone with me,' replied the man. ' I know what I am talking about. Hanier was your lover. It was a suspicion of that fact that caused your husband to dismiss him some years ago. You continued to receive him secretly. Ab your last msoting with him, shortly before his death, you were seen to embrace him— him—a man who had been your butler I You were in the habit of giving him presents. The last present you gave him was . . sliall I go on ?'

'If you please,' was the answer, still in an indifferent tone.'

1 Very well; it was a silver cigarette case belonging to your husband. You see, I know whab I am talking about.'

1 That may be, but I do nob Bee your object in saying it.' ' Let mo toll you a little tnoro then. Your husband, for a roason of which you were not then aware, happened to want that cigarotto case a short time after you had given ib to Hanier. He asked you for ib ; you were frightened and tried to persuade him thab it was loat; but finally his questions find determination cowed you, aud you con fided the whole truth to him.'

' What truth?' inquired Elise. ' That you had given tho box to Hanier and that he was your lover.'

1 That is false !' said the girl, calmly,

Her self-possession and intrepidity apparently irritated tho other ; for ho replied sternly, and in a voice no longer dißguised as heretofore. ' You know ib is the truth, and 1 will show you that I know it. On the evening after your confession to your husband, you and he went togother in a hack to Haniers house. It was closod up for the night; bub you obtained odmittanco, leaving your husband in the hack. You told Haniar that everything was discovered ; and at your entreaty he gave you back tho silver box. You then drove back with your husiiand, and went into your house with him.'

1 Go on !' said the girl. Her manner had altered durintr the last few moments, and she was listening more intently than before, and fixed a searching gaze upon the man in front of her.

1 Your husband had recovered bis box,' the latter resumed, ' and so far ho was content; but Hatiicr's existence remained a continual danger to him. In the first place, Hanier mighfa have become acquainted witli the secret contents of the box, and might theroby do him serious harm in certain important respects ; and in tho second place, Hanier had it in his power to disgrace him socially by disclosing your intriguo. These were your husband's motives for doing what he did. I suppose you don't wish mo to tell you what thab was ?' * That is the only partoF your story about which I feel any curiosity,' returned tho girl, with a tranquil air. The othor gazed ab her in manifest astonishment.

' I must say,' he broke out at length, 'that you have more nerve than I gave you credit for. But: ib will nob save you. I suppose you think that I am morely giving you hearsay, instead of facts that can be proved. But you shall judge of that.' Here ho stepped closer and pub his mouth almost to the girl's ear. ' Your husband went back to Hanier's that night,' he whispered, ' and shot him down in cold-blood. Ho is a murderer, and I have only to tell others what I have told you to gob him convicted and hanged.'

These words, which could have been audib'e to no one else than to Eliso herself, did not produce on her tho effect which the person who uttered them probably expected. She drew back and gazed at him a moment, and then broke into a stifled laugh! She recovered herself, however, almost immediately. ' You say that) you can prove your accusation,' die said, ' but I suppose, since you havo taken the trouble to make this appnintmenb with me, you must have something else in view. Whab is it?'

'1 will keop the secret,' he replied, rather sullenly, 'upon certain conditions. You must agree to pub me in possession of information on some matters that; como within your reach, and to keep me posted regarding them from tima fto time, as I may require. Your husband ia a leading member of an organisation that is hostile to the interests which I represent-. I have reason to think that you have hitherto been ignorant of this tact, and I shall bako occasion, nt the proper time, to make you acquainted with all tho details of it. It is enough ro say. for Hie present, that your husband ia entirely in tho confidence of this organisv tion, oiid haa in possession all ifca secret?, and many of its most important documents. These ho keeps under lock and key, and in various safe place?. You must find out what they are, get; necess to them, and communicate them to me. Unless you piomipe to do this. I will denounce him to tho police. This is my offer. What do you pay to it ? 'Will you tell me who you are? demanded tho girl, after a pause. • You will know at the proper timo. hut I must, have your promise first.' ' I havo recognised yon for some time post' said the girl, fixing her eyes upon his with a penetrating look. -If you had known mo ib would havo boen better tor you I am nob the person to whom you Wrote your letter. 1 saw that letter. \ou emitted to Pignit: but I will tell you the name which should have been written thero was Robert Johnnon !' Although the man in tho whito doublet was carofully masked, there could be no doubb that "this statement electrified and discomfited him. Ib was entirely unexpected. Although ho know by sight tho lady whom he supposed to bo in tho orange domino, he had" never spoken with her and had therefore been nt; little or no pains to disguise his voice. Bub the lady who actually was in tho orange domino whom her friend and employer chose to call Elise,

but whom the reador has long since recognised as Lizzie Pond—this young lady, as it is needless to remark, was familiar with every intonation of Robert Johnson's speech, and with his every movement and gesture. While carefully guarding her own incognito, therefore, she had had no difficulty in penetrating his disguise ; and had been interested less by the story he unfolded about Colonel and Mrs Desmond, than by the odd light which his revelations and demands threw upon his own character. Who was this Robert Johnson to whom she had trusted so implicity, and whom she had allowed herself to care for so much? That he he could nob be what he had hitherto given himself out to bo waa certain ; but whether ho was a robber, a black-mailer, or something even more sinister ancl undesirable was more than she could determine.

It should be observed, moreover, that Mrs Desmond had, within the foregoing few days, held soin-3 private and confidential interviews with Lizzie, the effect of which had been to modify the latter's views a3 to the former's conduct and responsibility. Lizzie no longor considered the French lady to have been guilty of any serious breach of her wifely obligations ; while as to the charge of murder, she had not until thon conceived of the possibility of such a thing, and had repelled it with scornful incredulity. Meanwhile, she had had the presence of mind to suppress the manifestation of her opinions, and, in the assumed character of Mrs Desmond, to lead Johneon on to disclose all his cards, and thon to nonplus him with the revelation that it was not to Mrs Desmond, but to sorno other and (to him) unknown person that he had been speaking. But Johnson, though worsted for the momeub, was not a man to receive a blow without attempting to return ib; and in p. moment he stepped forward with hand outstretched, intending to tear the mask from the incognita s face. She divined his purpose, and retreated; at that moment. there was a f-crenm from behind the red baize screen, followed by a cracking and rending noise, and ending in a crash, which protected her for the time-being.

This is what had happened. Mra Desmond, on being left alone in her retreat behind the scenes, had presently applied herself to hear what she could of the dialogue that was going on within a few feet of her ear. Before long, however, she became aware that her seclusion was being invaded. There was a noise of feot Bhuflling over tho baro boards of the floor, and of voices conversing in a cautious undertone. Peeping through a crack between two boards pho say; live men standing at a littlo distance, and talking earnestly. Thpy wove all clad in long red dominoe3 and white silk masks ; but one or two of them, presuming upon tho supposed security of their position, had removed the latter. The light) was so dim in this region that she could not clearly distinguish tho features of these persons ; but from what she could see of them, they did nob strike her as being familiar.

All of a sudden slio hoard a stealthy step close at hand ; and, shifting her position, she was ablo to catch a glimpse of a black figure advancing, liko a cat, in the direction of the red domino conclave. This figure disappeared behind somo intervening objecb and she saw it no more. But now the five men, in responee to a suggestion from one of thoir number, moved in her direction until the nearest of them was within reach of her arm, and a piece of canvas fastened to a frame was all that intervened between them. ' Thia will do bettor,' remarked the individual i;i question, and although the words wero harmless enough, they caused Mrs Desmond to turn pale beneath her mask and to press her hand on her heart, for the voico wits unmUtakeably tho voieo of her husband, tho colonol, who did not appear to have gone- to Philadelphia after ail !

He first thought waa to oscape, but on turning to do so sho was confronted by the black figure who was jusb about to introduce himself into tho retreat. Sho had an iinproesion of a long, thin visage, with a sharp pair of eyes very near together ; and then tho intruder clapped on his mask arid vanished. She caught her feet in (ho hem of her domino and stumbled against one of the flats, it gavo way mid fell against ths baize partition, rending it apart and coming to tho ground with a eras!). Tho entiro roar of tho stage was laid open to the gaze of tho multitudo by this mishap, there waa an instant's lull of startled silence, and then there waa a confuted uproar, many people boing panic-stricken, others jeering and laughing, others ngain shouting that thero was no danger, and everybody setting up a hubbub of one sort or another. Tho five men in red dominoes scattered at once, replacing their masks as they did so ; and tho mysterious personage in black vv-ub nowhere to be seen. Tho lady in tho orange domino glided round behind the boxes and reached a private door opening on tho lobby, along which sho passed rapidly towards tho entrance. The man in white marked tho direction sho had taken and started in pursuit, but a crowd of halfdrunken revellers had rushed in to inspect) the scene of tho cafcastropho and blocked hi 3 way. He turned and made his way with dillir.ulty across the lloor ot tho ballroom ; but though ho reached the front of the house in a few minutes, all trace of the orange domino had disappeared. Lizzie Pond, on finding herself free, had quickly removed her domino, and reversing it, put it on figain with tho inner sido out. Thia sido waa blue, and sho had no longer any need to fear recognition. If; had previously been arranged between j\lrs< Desmond and herself that in ca.co of accident they were to rendezvous in the 1/ribs' droseins room. Thither Lizzie now betook horself, and to her great relief found Mrs Desmond already awaiting her.

That lady was, not, unnaturally, in a state of anitafcion ; Mho informed her companion of her diccovery of Colonel Desmond and expressed apprehension lest he should get home before them and so become aware of her abpenco. Rut L'zzio reminded her that the colonel, having announced that ho was going to Philadelphia, could not reasonably show himself at his own house earlier than the no.v, day. Somewhat reassured by this argument, Mrs Desmond ventured into the corridor, and the two ladies found their carriage and were driven home.

As they left the hall, tho clocks of tho city struck the hour of midnight, and at the psimo moment a great burst of music from tho orchestra gave the signal for the general unmaskingr. Tho carnival assumed a wilder and inoro fantastic aspect than ever ; the li«ht of the nether world had gained the ascendency. (To be Continued on Wednesday next.) j