A LOST WITNESS, OR THE MYSTERY OF LEAH PAGET

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 299, 24 December 1897, Page 6

A LOST WITNESS, OR THE MYSTERY OF LEAH PAGET

Bt LAWRENCE L. LYNCH, Author of "Shadowed by Three," "/ Blender Clue," "Dangerous Ground, "Madeline Payne," "A Mountain Mystery," "The Diamond Coterie," " Romance of a Bomb Thrower," "Out of a Labyrinth."

CHAPTER LVIIL LEAH AND MAX. Francis Ferrars was a good general, and he soon had his sma 1 force iv perfect subordination. First there was Sir Felix Wyntoun, who during: These days of suspense and al_xgty had no .nought but for La Belle Fabrice, her probable whereabouts, 4d possible danger. Given a clue and a wSrd of encouragement from the detective, he would have foltowed^t around the world, a very l™ghl>errant For, while he was very silent, undemonstrative, and at no time inclined to argue or question, he clung griiSy to his&faith in the girl he loved; Of courae you know what you're about XS/he said to the detective, at the close of a long and^exhaustive argument, 'and I'm bound to follow yog ur lead. But all this silence 2d mystery is deuced hard on aw and I cannot make myself doubt that little girl, even in the face of the whole of it.' . __ , T 'My dear fellow,' said Ferrars, I doit ask you to doubt her. Of course you mean La Belle Fabrice. On the contrary, do not doubt her until you must. Never doubt any woman until she forces your scepticism. And with this Sir Felix was compelled to be content. It cost the detective more than one argument, however, before he had fully conquered Max Talfourd. When the coroner's inquest had been for the second time postponed, Max would have set out for the Paget mansion forthwith. But this Ferrars would not permit. And alter a time Tiis arguments prevailed. Max was not lacking in common sense and courage, and to these the detective's reasoning's were addressed. He might write, however, always sunder certain restrictions, and write lie did. At first just a few lines, an eager assurance of his unswerving demotion, and an appeal for an interview. It. was Mrs Paget who replied to the first note, briefly and kindly. Le£\h was grateful for his kindly expressions, but at present she could see no one. She begged him to be patient *and to wait. Max ' waited—twenty-four hours. Then he wrote again, this time to Mrs Paget as well as Leah. In the meantime, Mrs Paget was being enrolled among the conspirOn' the sOJCond day after her call upon - Capta__a Connors that official sent ber a note, and acting in accordance with instructions therein contained the lady ordered her carriage and after an early ftmcheon set out alone. Ostensibly, she was going shopping, but ..she left her 'carriage in Broadway and* walked a li title distance, turned down a cross street, hailed a cab and was driven straight to the new 'head-q-aarbcrra- or " -ene __.-_,£*__-__. ___,_«*-, _*.■»■«>. She found both Captain Connors and Ferrars awaiting hei- arrival. After a long conference with these two she returned home with a very serious face, and with her mind filled with new thoughts, new ho^es, new fears. But-with no doubt, from first to last, as to her own part in. the strange drama about to begin, and full of courage for the trial. It had been decided during her interview with Captain Coitnors and Ferrars that Mrs Paget was', to receive Max Talfourd . before he was permitted an interview with Leah; and that she, always of course with her daughter's consent, was to make him acquainted with the facts concerning Leah's homecoming. The mother was then to advise her daughter to receive Max, but was to leave her to take her own course during the interview. And so, when Max sent his third note of appeal, he wasrejoiced to receive from Mrs Paget permission to call, with a promise that when she had said a few words to bim he should gee Leah.

But if Leah was left free, as she must be, to pursue her own course Max was not. And when he set out for the home of his affianced, it was with a grave cuntenance and anxiety was mingled with his eagerness. Eagerness at the very thought of her, of her face, her voice, her touch, of what she might say to him. Anxiety when he remembered all that he must say or that might be said to him, as it should happen.

Just what passed between Mrs Paget and Max Talfourd need not here be recorded.

With her new and keener insight into the complications surrounding them all she had taken on, if that were possible, an added tenderness and consideration. But then Max had always been dear to her, first for his mother's sake and then for his own, and lately for Leah's.

She told him the story of her daughter's home-coming without comment, just as she had told it to Ferrars and the chief. And she made him aware of the present state of affars in her household. '

Leah had been prepared for his visit, and had consented to see him. Presently the mother rang and sent a message to Leah, asking her to come down, as if the call were of the utmost ordinary nature. Eager, yet hesitating, she came slowly down.

Mrs Paget was waiting for her at the foot of the stairs, and she took her two hands gently but firmly between her own.

'My dear,'she whispered, 'I have told Max all that I know. Is not that what you have wished?'

'Yes, mother,' said the girl. 'It is svbat I should have-done, and—l think ftvwould have been more than I could go"< through with. Thank you; thank you a thousand times. Now I can say the rest; can tell him good-bye, I hope, with decent composure.'

'Then go, dear.' The mother smiled a little as she pushed her toward the door. 'God bless you both!' Leah opened the door of the morn-ing-room, crossed the threshold, and then—she could never tell quite whether she herself had closed the door or whether—but what did it matter? Somehow the door closed, and she who had meant to enter so camly, to preserve her dignity and be quite determined, yet reasonable, found herself caught and held by two strong arms, kisses showered upon her lips and cheeks and eyes, murmured words of love and welcome and thanksgiving falling upon her ears. For one glad moment everything was forgotten, except that she loved Max Talfourd with a mighty love and that he was beside her. ' Then everything came back m a rush of misery, and she uttered a low, stifled cry, so full of pain that it struck him like a blow, and wrenched herself from his clasp, putting half the width of the room between them, and turning- upon him a pallid, despairing face. _ So for a moment they confronted each other, and then all that was best and strongest in each seemed to assert itself. He came toward her and spoke gently and firmly. 'Leah, my darling, your mother has told me everything that is necessary, more than I would have asked of you, more than I needed to know. There is one thing that I care now—only one. You have come back to me, and I only care for you.' He was looking, smiling straight into her face.

She sighed, and a. long shudder shook her whole delicate frame.

'I have come back—yes,' she said brokenly, 'but not to you.' 'Not to me? To whom then, and why?' He took a step nearer, but she put up her hand. 'Don't,' she said sharply; 'doni't come nearer. You must not.'

'But why, Leah?Why may I not approach my promised wife?' He held his place, and she moved back and sank into a chair, that he might not see how her coward limbs had failed her, how she was quivering again from head to foot. But she gained no advantage by this, for he at once seated himself and drew his chair directly before her with scarcely the space of a foot between.

'My promised wife, he said again, softly, as if he enjoyed the sound of it, and he smiled still, though the smile was touched with, sadness.

Sitting thus, with his eyes upon her i face, she was silent for long moments, fighting to regain ber self-control, and at last her strong- will and Paget pride conquered. He did not know it, but bis very attitude, the smile upon his lips helped her immensely. 'Max,' she began, slowly, as though not quite sure of herself, 'if my mother bus told you all, she must have told you that, for 'jme, there is no past, and no future except such as comes from day to day. Max, I beg of you, do not try me too much. I cannot bear it. lam not as strong as you think, and I need to be very strong. I am not your promised wife any more. I retract all my vows, and you must not object. It will make no difference if you do, only—that it will be harder for me.'

For a moment he sat regarding her silently, a great pity and a great longing in his eyes. Then, with evident self- suppression, he spoke.

'Do you want me to understand that whether I wish it or not, however much it may hurt me, you mean to give __ion-, v_> reinicx- yutir promise ?' 'Yes,' she breathed, with her eyes upon the floor. 'When did you first arrive at this decision, Leah ? Was it before you left—even a day, an hour before ?' 'No.' 'When, then ? Answer me ; when?" She lifted her eyes to his face. 'You will not spare me,' she said. 'I see that I must suffer it all. It was when I first found that there must be a passage in my life, a time to be counted by weeks—weeks thatfL^ave been longer than years, that must, be ever dark to you and to all my friends. It was not before my going away. You know that.' f> . 'Then the change is hoY in you ? not in your thoughts and feelings ?' Again her eyes were downcast. 'It may be in my thoughts ; it is not in my feelings.'

'Leah, do you know what that implies ?'

She did not answer.

'Answer this one question,' he ■urged. 'Is it solely because of this mystery, which you cannot make clear to me, to any one, that you wish to break our .bond ? Is that the only reason ?' She pushed back her chair and arose to her fullest height. 'Yes,' she said, passionately, 'it is because of that. How often will you make me say it before you will be satisfied, before I have been tortured enough ?' 'Tortured !' And now was Max on. his feet again. 'Tortured ! You ? What do you think I have felts and '■ am feeling now ? Leah —' Before she could evade him, he had caught her hands and held them fast, drawing her forcibly toward him as he spoke. 'Look at me. Answer me. I know that you loved me when you promised yourself to me ; do you love me less now ?'

'No.' She made no effort to release herself, and she looked him full in the face.

'And since then, has there been any time, any day, hour, or moment, when you have loved me less ?'

'No, no, no !' she cried. 'Don't you see '. don't you comprehend !It is because I love you that I will not be the cause of any shame to you, or any doubt, now or in time to come. Between husband and wife there should be no secrets, nothing less than perfect mutual understanding, perfect trust. Max, you know that. Ask yourself, if in my position you would not do as I have done. One may ignore past errors, past sins, even ; may forget and forgive a wrong confessed. But a mystery in the life of the being nearest you, a closed door in the heart that loves you and that you love —you could not bear it, and the stronger the love the greater the torture. I will not tell you an untruth, Max. No, no !' He had made a sudden movement toward her. 'Be strong for me, Max, if not for yourself. Not long ago, by hours and weeks —ages ago, it seems to me, by the torture of the intervening days— I stepped across my father's threshold and out upon the street. All my life looked fair before me ; there was not a cloud upon my horizon. I was thinking, oh, how happily !of you ; and of — yes, I will say it— of our future, yours and mine. Yesterday,' her voice fell to a hushed whisper, and every word marked a stab in the girl's heart—'yesterday, I crossed that threshold again, the same Leah Paget,, just as honest, just as.free from any taint or intended wrong, just as true

to you, and loving you just the same —yes, more, for it was the love that feels the wrench of parting already began; that hears the • clods upon the coffin lid. It was your promised wife that went out. It was a brokenhearted woman who came in ; a woman lost to you, lost to herself, lost to hope, and almost lost to her faith in God !'

He had released her hands, and now, before she could stay him, he folded her in his arms again. Tt was an angel who went out,' he cried ; 'an angel and a martyr who came back !'

(To be Continued.)