BRETA'S DOUBLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 74, 28 March 1894, Page 6

BRETA'S DOUBLE.

BY HELEN V. OBEYSON.

CHAPTER VIII. A FRUITLESS ATTEMPT. After Carlos Monteri, or Martinni, as he was known to Breta Danton, had succeeded in reducing her to a state of unconsciousness, he ordered the driver to go directly to a certain house nob over half a mile from fche station, bub almost bidden from view by a dense woodland which surrounded it. Having placed Breta in charge of the woman, with whom he appeared on good terms of intimacy, and to whom he gave strict orders to guard hia prisoner, he impiediately proceeded to the station and waited until the next brain came along. He had nob long to wait, for ib soon came to a halt as it reached the station, and Carlo 3 Monteri proceeded on his journey bo the vicinity of Brentwood Park. Having reached his destination, which happened to be a farmhouse aboub a mile from the Park, he spent the remainder of the evening in writing letters. At nine o'clock he sallied forth to keep his appointment. Ib was a bright, moonlight night, and as ib wanted an hour of the appointed time, Carlos did nob hurry himself, bub gave himpelf up to thoughts of his day's work. 'By Jove !' he murmured. ' Who would have thought that I would stumble over thab girl here, and Inez thinks that she is ab the bottom of the sea. She failed in her attempt to drown Breba Danton after all; and bub for the odd working of fate thab threw her in my path, she would have reached Brenbwood Park, made hertelf known, and the jig would have been up. Aha!' he chuckled. 'I have got an additional hold on my lady. Won't she be Burprised when she hears the news V Reaching the appointed place of meeting, he consulted his watch, and found thab ib still lacked ten minutes of the time. Seating himself on the trunk of a fallen tree, he waited for the girl and the four hundred dollars which he had demanded. ' She is nob in any hurry,' he murmured. Just then ho thought he heard a rustle somewhere behind him, bub as he saw nothing, he gave the matter no more thought and started to whistle a favourite Italian air while he reclined on the trunk of the tree, with hia tace turned toward the park. He had nob finished whistling the tune he had begun, when a voica cried oub in a suppressed bub passionate bone: • Die, you villain !' And before he could collecb his thoughts he felb a thrust from behind, and knew that he had been stabbed. Bub the dagger had missed ita mark, for ib merely grazed his ehoulder-blade. Turning almost before the words had dierl on the nighb air, he caught the arm of bis would-be assassin ere he could receive another and more dangerous thrust from the weapon that gleamed in the moonlight. • Aha, my lady !' he cried in a voice nob good to hear. 'So you would attempt to take my life, would you ? You shall pay dearly for this, mark my words. You are clever, I admit, but not clever enough to rid yourself of Carlo 9 Montori. Had you succeeded in your design to commit murder you woqjd-flpt have been froe twenty-four houvs, 1 had cause enough for revenge before. Now I have more.' She stood there, powerless to move, so tight vvas his grasp on her arm. He took the dagger from her hand and placed,ib in his pocket. ' Well, what have you to say for yourBelt ?' he asked.

'Only this,' she replied in hoarse tones: *I'm sorry that I didn't succeed.' ' Yon are, eh ? Well, that goes withoub telling. And to think thab I did you a great sorvice to-day,' he said, with a harsh laugh. • You did me a service ! she sneered. 'Ib would be a cold day when you would do thab, unlees it would be to further your own designs.' 4 We'll take thab for granted,' he said. ' Well, what service did you do me V she asked, in incredulous and angry tones. ' What would you say if I told you thab you had failed in your other attempt to committ murder as you did in this V he asked, in triumphant tones. 1 What do you mean, Carlos Monteri 2' • I mean that Breta Danton is alive,' he returned. ' What!' she exclaimed. 'I repeat, 5 said he, 'that Breba Danton is alive and well.' 'You are mad ! Do you think you can make me believe any such story as that?' ' Well, it's so, whether you believe it or not. I met her to day on the train bound for Brentwood Park, and but for me you would have stepped down and ouo by this time—perhaps been in the hands of the law.'

'Carlos Monteri, are you speaking the truth ? as doubts entered her mind as to whether or nob Breta Daaton might have been rescued after all.

'Yes, I'm speaking fche truth,1 he re turned.

* Where is she, then ?' she asked. 'Ab present she is locked up in the house of a certain triend of mine, where she will remain until I see fit to give her freertom. But see here, hand over that money. You have failed in your design ; bo. if you don't want exposure pass over the green bucks.' 'Hero, then ! Take it, and may it do you much good. I have nob a cent in the world now,' whe said, as she took the notes fi;om her pocket and handed them to him, with a look that, if looks could kill, would have felled him dead on the spot.

'Oli, well, the Bronbwoods have enough and to .jpare.' 'Do you think I would ask them for money '.'■ she asked.

' No. Take ib without asking,' he re turned, wibh a short laugh.

' Why don't you say "Steal ib," and be done with it,' she retorted.

'As you will. It would nob be the firsb you had. stolen,' he said, as he pocketed the money. ' Do you think thab I would steal from Eric Brentwood '!'

1 Who is Eric Brentwood any more than any one else ? Oh, I say !' as an amusing thoughb crossed his mind. ' You are nob sweet, on him, (ire you ?'

' That U not your affair. He is a gentleman, while such as you arenob fib to mention hie n-'tine,' sh& replied angrily.

' And you also,' he pub in. —" • You will keep that girl locked up—if she really is alive ?' she asked, abruptly changing the subjecb. 'Yes, as long as you do my bidding. Refusa to do as I deaire, and I'll bring her hero, to Eric Brentwood, with whom you are in love, and hell him who and what you are. Now go; that is.all to-night. "VVhpn I want you again I'll find a way to apprise you of the fncb. And take my advice and make no more attempts in the samo direction • that you did to-night. After all,1 he.said,.as a parting shaft, 'you are glad that I came back, are you not?' And "with a low chuckle he fofb her and made his way back to the farm house where be had, procured a. room and boatd. Hastening back fco the Park, a look of baffled rage on her handsome, dark face, the girl: who had represented herself as Breta Dantpn, was in the acb of entering the sidedoor, when she almost ran againafo a man— Brio Brentwood,

CHAPTER IX. DOCTOR MONTFORI3 INTERCEDES. As Eric Brenbwood came face bo face with the girl who he thoughb had retired an hour before, he gave a starb and exclaimed in surprise : • Why, Breta I What are you doing out ab this hour? I thought you had retired.' • So I had,' she answered, in a soft voice ; ' bub I had such a severe headache that I came oub to see it the night air would relieve me. I feel ever so much better ; but see how nervous I an> !' holding out to him her band, which, upon taking it in his, he found to be trembling. • So you are,' he returned, lebbing go her hand, which she wished he would retain in his. •

An electric thrill passed through her at his touch, and she knew that it meant love. Every day and hour that she spent at Brentwood only added to the passionate love he had awakened in her heart ab the firsb gjimpse of his handsome, high- bred face ; while he, she knew, enbertained no such feeling for her. She determined thab she would win him.

• If only Carlos were oub of my way,' she thoughb to herself. . ' You were unwise, Breta, to go out alone at this hour. Who knows bub some tramp may be lurking around the woods beyond the grounds.' ' I did nob think of that,' she replied. *I shall lie down now and see if Icannot get a little rest. 'Good nighb, Eric, again holding oub her hand. He could notiirefuse bo take it, but every time their hands met an unpleasanb sensation would steal over him, and wibh ib, his doubts of her sinceriby returned. As she passed through the door and up to her apartmenb, she thought to herself: 'Ib was lucky thab he didn'b walk down bo the gate, or he would have seen me outside the grounds. What excuse could I have made then ?'

While Eric Brentwood was asking himself : ' Was she speaking the truth ? This is the second time she has been oub alone. 1 saw her lasb night, after she excused herself from the drawing ■ room, walking throueh the grounds, bub I forebore following her, lest she would think that I was watching her movetnonte, when I merely came out, as I did to-nighb, to enjoy a cigar before retiring. But ib seems odd that she should go oub alone, when most girls would feel timid in doing so. Laafc nighb, she certainly did nob come oub on accounb of a headache, for she was walking as if she was lin a great hurry. Suppose—but. pshaw, I am letting my imagination run away with me. Why do I doubb her, after all ?' he said, as, throwing away his half-smoked cigar, he entered the house and repaired to his own room. The following morning Eric was surprised to receive a telegram from New York which read: 'Did Breta Danton arrive safo? Please answer immediately.' and was signed: 'John Montford, M.D. 'Address, No. 352 Broadway.' • This is strange,' he murmured. ' Who is John Montford, M.D. ? And why should he wish to know about Breba Danton ? I must ask her who he is. She said that she knew no one in America. He must have been some friend she knew in Italy. But turn it which way you will it seems odd thab he should inquire aboub her arrival after she has been here for more than a month.'

Ringing the bell he inquired if Miss Danton had arisen.

•No, sir,' returned one of the housemaids who had answered the bell.

1 Oh, well,' he said to himself, ' I'll go to the station and answer the telegram, ab any rate. She can explain afterward. Whoever Doctor Monbford is he evidently ib .anxious to know of Miss Dan ton's safe arrival, so I'll not keep him in suspense.' Half an hour later Doctor Monbford received the following : 'BretaDanton arrived safe. 'Eric Brentwood.1 c"Ah !' the doctor said. • I feel more ab rosb now. Somehow or other I couldn't feel satisfied until I knew the child was safe with her friends. I told her to telegraph me as soon as she reached the station, but I dare say she forgob ib. I feared thab she might miss her way boing a stranger, and had ib not been for my duties I would have accompanied her myself. And,' he added, • I mean to let Gerald Danton know thab he has a granddaughter living of whom he may well be proud, and that ib is his duty to seek her and take her to his luxurious home which is her proper place. Although Ronald was wild and would have his own way he treated him unjustly. And now thab the poor boy is dead, be should nob extend his malice to his granddaughter. I don't really believe he would, did he know that Ronald left a child. He used to be good-hearted enough when we were boys together, and I never could understand what prompted him to turn his only son adrift. But that's all past, beyond recall. Nevertheless, I intend to inform him of his duty toward Ronald's child. She would never appeal to her grandfather, and I admire the pride which prevents her doing ib. The only course to pursue is to take matters in my own hands and see that the child is not cheated of her proper position in the world. No doubb, I'm a meddling old curmudgeon ; bub the poor little orphan has found bar way into my heart, and if Gerald Danton is the man I think him, he will nob refuse to taka her into his heart and home.' So saying, he seated himself at his desk and penned the-letter to his old friend, stating thab his granddaughter could be found ab Brenbwood Park, where she was stopping with friends of her deceased mother. He then sealed fend despatched the innocent-looking missive which was to prove the forerunner of a tragedy. {To be Continued.)