THE CRIME OF A WEDDING DAY

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 125, 29 May 1896, Page 3

THE CRIME OF A WEDDING DAY

BY COL. ROBERT FEMBERTON.

: CHAPTER VII. THE MEKTIN- ON THE BUIFF.

On the following day Coroner Granby, having deliberated long upon the matter, aummonod a jury of twelve men bo look inbo bhe case.

•Idon'b wanb bho responsibility on my shoulders alone,' was the way he pub it, and his friends agreed with him. So bhose who had testified wero called upon to do so again. This time tbe questions asked were more numerous than ever, and Henry Crdas was kepb on bhe rack a full hour. But no additional information was elicited from him. He refused to spoak about hia former quarrel wibh Chesterbrook, and the jury and the others preeenb were lefb to bhink what they pleased about bho mabber.

Strange to cay, nob once daring thab inquesb did the bheory of suicide come up. If any juror thought of ib. Ib was nob mentioned by him. Whab cause had a young man, rich, and aboub to wed the lady of his choice, to take his own Ufa? Ib was absurd. -

It was dark by bhe time bhe testimony was all in, and the coroner had finished his address bo tho jury. The lights were lib in a vacant room, and there the jurymen retired to consider bheir vetdicb, lb was nob long in coming, and once more bhey filed inbo bhe coroner's presence. ' We find bhab Allen Chosberbrook came to his deabh by being stabbed to the heart with a dagger in the hand of some party unknown to this jury.' lb was a simple verdict, yeb ib covered tho whole ground. The nocesßary paper was made out and signed, the jurymen tiled up to the clerk to receive their pay, and the inauest was over.

Detective Hull had taken but little active interesb in the hearing. He had sab quietly by, hardly listening to the greater parb of bhe testimony. Only toward bhe close had he suddenly ebraighbened himself up and manifested more attention.

His renewed interest was caused by the sudden appearance of Violeb Harding, who glided in silonbly, and took a scab in bhe fartheeb corner.

The young lady was neably dressed in % suib of black. Over her dark sailor hab she wore » moderately thick veil, which, aa she hesitabed ab the door, she had pulled down over her face—a face now inexpressibly sad, yeb sweeb and charming. ' Humph 1' Jack Hull muttered to himself, and from thab moment his eyes studied her keenly. When bhe verdict had been brought in, he had noted bbab ehe half arose to her feeb in her eagerness to hear what it was. Then, as the verdict was announced, ho saw hor shiver, rise up and hasten oub before tho general dispersion that followed, ' Wonderful women !' murmured Jack Hull to him&elf, as he followed her out. ' Either they have no nerve ab all, or they have enough bo sbagger bhe biggeob man alive. Ibs a pity she wasn'b hero when the dagger was produced.' Jack Hull had nob been idle. He had aiready learned that. Violet Harding was an orphan, who had formerly lived in New York. On the death of her invalid mother she bad come bo Lakeview, and it had been Allen Chesberbrook who had procured for her the position ab the office of the Lakeview Land Improvement Company. This had all been easy work. Bub he had learned more.

Violet boarded wibh an old widow lady, who owned a noab bub unprebenblo-s cobtage one'streeb back from'the lake, and somewhat removed from the centre of the bown. Under pretence of .finding board for a lady friend, and with a vague idea of a new bum in his manner of workiug. Hull hnd called ab bhe cottage and interviewed Mrs Callum. He had learned bhab she bad a spare room, next to that occupied by Violet, and was anxious to rent ib. The room and board for a young Jsdy — she wished no gentlomen—would be six dollars weekly. Would Mr Ulmer {bo Hull had allowed her to catch his namo) be. pleased to send the young lady arouud ? Sho was certain the room would please her. • I will tell tho young lady with pleasure,-1 the detective had replied. 'I expect her here in a day or two. By the way, have you any other boarders?' And then Mrs Callum had spoken of Violet, stated who she was and wbab aha did, and added bhat she waa sure Mr Ulmer's friend would like her—everyono did.

• My friend is rabher a feimid young lady,' bhe detective had remarked. * She dreads going inbo a strange house. lam glad you bbink she would like your only other boarder. May I aßk if you have much company coming bo bhe house ?' 'I have no one. Miss Harding has a gentleman come once in a while—or did hay he won't come any more,' and the woman's tone beeamo so impressive thab be knew she referred bo Chesberbrook.

He had tried bo pain more information, bub afber thab lasb remark Mrs Callum had had bub libtle bo say, so he had gone off, abating he would ab once communicate wibh hie lady friend. And now he followed Violet Harding down bhe street, and to that very cottage. After seeing her disappear wibhiu, he came to a hale on the corner, undecided whab bo do next. He hung around for over an hour, and juab after dark she came forth again, clad in bhab same black dress, bub with a lighb cape over her shoulders, for the evening was chilly. .

He followed her through bhe etreeb, and down to the lake-shore. She took almosb the same path Henry Cross had taken earlier in tha day. Bub before sho came bo the bridge ab bbc gully, she halted, and burning, walked up a slighb bluff overlooking the rippling water, now bathed in the soft lighb of the new moon. On the bluff she sab down. Afraid to draw too close, Jack Hull remained at a distance. He could nob make out what she was doing, bub saw her draw oub a handkerchief, and use ib on her face. , H wonder if she is crying,' he thoughb. 'That's jusb like a woman—do a thing, nnd then be dreadful sorry the minute after. By the boots ! I don'b know about bhis!'

He uttered the last thoughb half aloud. A man had passed along tho road close bo where he stood concealed behind some brush. The man had paused, bub now he was making his way toward where Violet Harding was sitting. With a low whistle bo himself, Jack Hull looked aboub for some way of gebting closer, and ab bhe risk of soiling his clobhes, threw himself on bhe ground.flab, and wormed his way along in the ball grass. Ho had scarcely advanced p dozen feet when he heard a slight shriek of alarm from Violet Harding, followed by a command from the man to keep silent. «You followed me here 1' the young woman exclaimed. ' You have been watching me—dogging mo !' ' What if I have ?' reburned the newcomer, roughly. 'You needn't think Chesberbrook is going to have you oil to himself.' •Be still. Do you nob know bhab Mr Chesterbrook is deod ?' 'So I heard. Bub I don'b pay much abtention to those things, I ' ' You pay more attention to drink, to cards, and to the racetrack,' she wenb on, wibh a sneer, •Don'b preach to jae, Miss Madoap,

And to whab did you pay attention ?—tell me that. Sneaking out of Now York, and coming down here with a rich flbap—'

' Hush I You have no right bo insulb me. To insult anobher—-'

' Maybe yoa expected to marry him, and that other girl cut you out—' In o wild rage the young woman olapped her hand over ihe fellow's mouth. In a moment all her mildness of manner vaaished and she seemed like anobher person. She pushed him violenbly backward. 1 Why did you follow me from New York ? Why did you nob return to your former haunts, and leave me alone? You shall geb nothing oub of me here.' ■' I'm nob asking for money, Violet. I'vegob another scheme in my head to geb thab —piles of ib, boo.' ' Nob honesbly,' and she laughed bibberly. * Yes, honesbly,' he growled. I've _bruo_ a bonanza—-eoruothing I've been on tha hunt for, for years.' 'I hope ib will make you more respect-, bable,' she reburned, sarcastically. ' Ha ! ha ! You talk bo mo aboub respecbability! I reckon I'm as good as you. Bat there, don'b leb us quarrel any more.' 1 Whab do you want of me ?' * Supposing I was rich, thab I turned over a new leaf J' •Well?' ' Would.you marry me bhen ?' * Never!' • 'Bub if I changed my habits, gob to be quibe respectable, you know, and bad the rocks to leb you live like a lady, as you deserve ' ' I would never marry you, never 1 I detesb tbe sighb of you ! Why should I marry you .'I do not lovo you, never did love you. Do you already forget thab when I was in New York you did all you could to ruin my happiness V The young woman poured oub the words as if they were so much molten lead, a torrent of living fire. Bub he did nob quail. He was angry, and his dark eyes' blazed wibh a jealous light. When ib came to temper, these two were well matched. * I had good excuse to be enraged. Yea loved thab Chesberbrooke !" ho fairly bis?ed. ' Whab a pity somebody killed him ; or did he commit suicide ? I heard somebody balk of that. Bub, then, he was going bo marry anobher girl; I heard thab, too,' he wenb on, sarcastically. * I suppose be thoughb you were good enough for a jolly companion.' ,

' Oh, you wrobch !' she shrieked. 'Cease your slander of tho dead,'

' All righb; we won't mention him again.'

'Now another favour—l want you to relieve me of your presence. I came out hero to be alone.' ' And I came all bhe way from Boston to see you. I'm not going to be pub off like a— — ■'

He did nob finish. She had been edging away from him, and now she turned suddenly, and. sped wibh flying feeb toward bho road. He was astonished ; but quickly recovering, he leaped after her, and booh closed the gap between bhem.

'Once more in the toils, my libbls bird J Now you will lisbon to me,' he cried, as he caught her aboub the waist. • You will listen whsbher you wish to or not.'

' Oh, you coward ! Release me !'

' Yes, release her ab once,' pub in a calm and determined voice beside them, and Jack Hull loomed up, his hand raised to strike the man should he dare disobey.

It would be hard to say which was the more astonished and alarmed, ehe girl or the man. Both started back, end their faces blanched equally.

'I don'b know your purpose in attacking bhis young lady,' wenb on Jack Hull: ' bub as she evidently wants you to leave, you had bettor do co at once.'

The man scowled

• This is none of your affair '—he began

*I have_iade ib my affair,' reburned bhe detective, in the same cool bone. -He turned to Violet Harding. ' May 1 see you to your home, miss ?'

The frightened look died oub in her eyes and ebo looked grateful.

'Thank you; if you will, I shall be much obliged.'

' We shall meeb again,' murmured her assailant, and without anobher word ho hurried away in bhe darkness.

'I am glad I came along the road jusb when I did,' said the detective, glibly. * That feilow is evidently some ruffian ot bho bown, of which Lakeview has altogether boo many. I take ib you live in Lakeview, or are stopping there?'

' Yes,' she returned, mildly. •i am very thankful to you,' she went on, in a steadier voice. ' Your presence evidently averbed a peril thab I libtle suspecbed when I scrolled here. I shall nob walk oub so far again, alone.'

Be offered her bis arm, and 83 she book ib he felb she was brembling. He did nob abtempb to enter into conversation ; ib would be almost useless while she vas in her present state of mind.

Ib waa nob loug before Mrs C&llum'a cobtage was reached.

'Thank you, Mr '

He murmured his name, bub so iadis> Vincbly she did nob catch it.

*My name is" Violeb Harding,' she returned. *I am very much obliged indeed i' aud bhen she entered the libtle garden, ran np the porch stops, and enbered tbe house before he could say another word.

'Humph!' It was his favourite expression, and he uttered ib several times in sncces&ion. He stared at the closed door, as if half expecting her to reappear, bub she did nob, and he stalked off down bhe street.

' Now, whab is a man to make of all bhab?' he vsked himself. 'Confound ib ! If that felluw hadn't acted so roughly, bub jusb kept on .balking, I mighb have learned something. As it is, lam as much in the dark as ever J And I let that chap slip through my grasp, too. He might tell some things ■ aboub thab girl worth knowing. She has a beautiful face, and I don'b wonefver tbab Chesberbrook thoughb a good deal of her. I'd bhink a good dea,l of her mysolf. Bab 1 Jack Hull, what are you talking aboub? Don't leb bhe sighb of a beautiful face cum you from your duty—from bho unraveling of this complicated cav^e. She in beautiful, bub sho is wilful, and (ias a violenb temper —the temper thab matfe her commit this deed—if she really is guilty.' Be broke off for a momeßb. 'Bub I may be in error. There is no use in jumping ab conclusions. Her initials are V.H., he?; hair is golden, and she wears those self-ss.me crinkly hairpins, but there may poenibly-.; be some mistake. Perhaps I had bsMer send for Frank Barton, after all. X must have more evidence before I bry to /orce a confession.' \ (To be Continued.)