THE BRIDE ELECT; OR, THE DOOM OF THE DOUBLE ROSES

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 32, 8 February 1899, Page 6

THE BRIDE ELECT; OR, THE DOOM OF THE DOUBLE ROSES

BYIAiVNIE ASHMORE,

'Author of "Beavtif ul Bienzi,' 'Corinne's

fearisom,' 'Waiting for Him/ "The Diamond Collar,' Etc.

CHAPTETI V. THE HOL.LY SPRAT.

So the wedding, day was past and the feast was untouched, the gaiests ■unwelcomed, the ring unclaimed, the bride —ah, where? . Now, dull,- relentless time stretched beyond — no golden circlet binding it in ' from ; outer g-100m —no sweet and perfected love to gild its drear t-louds. It might have been his honeymoon; but, hvish! such hopes of bliss are not for him, and the haggard face of the bridegroom is stern with other thoughts than those of happy wedlock. These creeping days must tell of tireless search, of keenest vigilance; this awful season, for which he has daily sighed for twelve months, has brought him the blackest affliction of his life —the awful ordeal of hope '(Jeferred.1 And yet bravely Alexander feuccleugh held his own of sanguine hope and noble perseverance. Nothing seemed to soil the purity of his faith in hapless Qlencora, and throught the most appalling disclosures he still pursued with iron resolve his way to the end. ■

probably at half-patst five, it was driven by a staid, gentlemanly person, looking more like a, groom out of place, than by any means a cabman, that he is sure of; and the only inmate of the carriage he sdw was an old gentleman, with what b.e calls "a nose like a hawk's beak," sitting with his "back to the horses, and his eyes fixed on the road, which leads to the suspicion that some one else occupied the Jjaek seat, most probably a lady. 'Thus, as the case stands, the close carriage is the only object of suspicion we have yet come across; but now a question arises, when did it drive from town, so as to avoid three ■Chances of being seen, by Mr Buccleugh. walking out to the Lady3ank gate; second, by my lord, who overtook him there; and third, by the g-ardener toiling painfully and slowly through Gower. Lane, for at least an hour? That question we cannot answer. If the carriage turned on its ■tracks at the wicket-gate where Mr Buccleu^h left the lady we are in search of, it must have stayed in some mysterious concealment while my lord's carriage passed the first time. The only possible place of cohcealanent ia the old Manor house betiveen Xiady-Bank and the city; which is at present untenanted. My men investigated the place, but the huge iron--studded gate was locked, and when ,they forced an entrance* the walks were overgrown with turf, and a ehower having fallen through the night every track might easily have been obliterated. A carriage might have ■stopped there on Tuesday afternoon, Jmt we have no proof. 'Acting on the data I have described fon, I sent my men to the various 45tables in the c'ffy in search of the cab Ttfyhich was hired without a driver. Out ■ijf some fifty" premising cases I select •nthe two following for the present: At *boiit four o'clock on Tuesday afteraiooh two young gentlemen came to CBuckle's cab establishment, and the ■younger of the two hired a handsome1 Wlosfe cab, without a driver, saying jihey would drive themselves. The *ldef gentleman seemed much disturbed, and repeatedly dissuaded his Companion from starting on the intended drive at all, calling it by some .such name as "a piece of follj r—an un--tvorthy undertaking.'' The younger man seemed irritated, and presently said, vehemently: ' ilI tell you she fears—has cause to ;Jear him. I must and will save her. >Sh& has put her fate in my hands. 3)on't dictate to me, man! I must not dtorsake- h,er with this letter in my Ibarids. Why, by Jove! I'd carry her -eft* to-night, if 1 could!" " ■ " •: 'Something to this effect the young ;inan said, and then the other coldly yefused to go with him. He said he ■■"would not interefere between, the itwo, ■who ■were as good as man and •Unie already, however bad he was, however good she was." And at. last jthe other sprang on to the box himfeeif, and, without another glance at 3iim, drove off. The elder gentleman «hortly after took leave, paying the .■frostier, however, for two hours' hire <of the horse. A few minutes before six he came back again, asking whe•ther his brother had returned, and, jhearing he had not, announced his intention of waiting there to see him Twh'en he did. At half-past six the jyoung: nidn appeared, driving furibuSjy. He sprang from the cab, and ■when he saw his brother, came to 3iim, with a very pale face. - "She's gone, Heaven help me!" he said, in ;the greatest agitation. He was very incoherent. The astonished stabler took the cab could not make anuch out of his words, hie was in such' a state. The brother tried to calm liim down as they walked away arm in sirrn. The impression On the man's thind ''iit the time wag that the young idlow was deceiving his prudent brother, and that he had run off with, or intended to run off with; the young jlady. He thinks So because the brother said, sharply, "Why not Jet the ■matter rest, then, if it is as ydu say? pkVhy should, you go away?'' '■ They, left jthe stables in eager dispute; ajnd the 3nan is assured that he could identify •either of them if he ever saw them »g&in. 'Tie other case I selected is not so Significant; in fact, there is nothing promising in it, except that the driver 5S not able to tell a straight story about it. At one o'clock in the af teroioon of Tuesday last, an old gentle- , man appeared at Me Jennet's livery {stable, and oTdfered a ciafriage for the afternoon. He was evidently a stranger, for he spoke with a strong Aber«ieenian accent, and looked about him a great deal. He obtained a dark* green close carriage, lined with chocolate eolbured cloth, and a pair of large chestnut mares, which description Aallies pretty well with the gardener's one. A man from McJennet's drove him, and this man returned ;with the cab at seven o'clock, very iarunk indeed, &nd particularly

jubilant over some unknown piece of luck, which he wasn't too drunk to keep a secret. His ac- ■ count of the day is, that the old gentleman drove straight to a poor quai'ter of the city, and, .stopping at a tenement house, went in, ajnu in iiaif-an-hour came out again witn a sickly, sorrowiul-looking1 young -woman, evidently his daughter, and placed her in the carriage. They then drove out of the city on various country roads, aimlessly, the old man leaving it to the cabman to fill tip the afternoon driving1 wherever he pleased. At last they returned to the' young woman's residence, in Earl Grey street; there they got out, and the. cabman waited around for' aho" tner fare. He insists that the gOtitLeniau gave him half a crown to dfink his daughter's health, and-that he did so, and got drunk. Unknown to him, J. sent to the house he described. Tno j.'oung- lady turns olit to be a Mrs I fcargill, ub unfortunate, treature, who.; !is in trouble, and Whose- kljtcl- o!d father, a Mr Forsyth, hosier, No. Union street, came from Aberdeen to succour her. She says that her father dismissed the carriage at four o'clock, find he came back at scvt.n. So three hours are to be accounted for, imd that cabman won't account for them. He denies having obtained any other passenget\ and is sulky on the subject. One thing more as a brother hostler of .McJennet's yard chaffing with the tipsy groom, he opened the carriage door and looked in. He saw t nothing but a spray ci' leaVes lying on the back seat, which at first ne took to be a valuable plant, but which, when he picked it tip, proved u> be only a twig with a few l&aves of holly. So our best——' Mr Spires stopped abruptly* smitten to silence by a sudden gesture of Alexander Buccleugh's, gapingl in amaze at the livid countenance of the unhappy young man. 'Stop there,' said Alexander hoafaeiy. 'You have found the clue." 'The holly spray, eh?' muttered 3>tr Spires, watched him v#th pursed lips. 'That man knows what becarrie of filencora,' cried Alexander, ftereeij. 'Hunt him down till he confesses ali. Ihat holly spray proves that he knows, i placed it in her hair on Tuesday evening.' 'Who saw you place it in her hair?' asked Mr Spires, slowly. Se did not intend the imputation of mistrust conveyed in this, cross-exami-nation; it was his business to erossquestkm everybody. 'I beg- Mr Squires' pardon,' here Interposed Mrs Ellathorne, earnestly, 'but Alexander's word may and must be trusted in everything. The girls saw him, as they looked froth the parlour window, pluck a branch from the hedge by the gate, and fasten it -in the back of her head.' Mr Spires bowed, antl looked at Alexander trith. a half smile. 'How did you part from Miss Calvtrt?' demanded he, suddenly, 'vYheie, do you mean? 6h, by the \'/jeket; she came home by the private oath (he described minutely), I by tlie canal.' Mr Spires turned sharply on bis Subordinate. - 'Notes, Mf Curtis^/ said lie Bhortiy. in a Second the detective had out his little note-book, jotting away like a reporter. 'Who saw you come back to lady* Bank house, by the canal?' asked Mf Spirts. ' : - ■ ' Alexander frankly .admitted that nd one happened - to meet liiini- '4o JMi knowledge. *. . 1 * .■■'. 'Bid you part with the lady oh good terms, Mr Btiecleugfr7''pursued Mr Spires. ; A positive smile, ; trarrsitpry as the ripple on the wave, yet almost scornful, trembled on Alexander's lip ?ie he answered, patiently: j 'Ob, yes, indeed, we were what yon t call on good terms; but we madu ho ! parting of it; we were to meet agam. in five tflirLutes.* ; "j 'You were Contracted in marriage) +o the lady?' said Mr Spires. j Alexander did not trust himself to j speak; he bowed his head, arid learit i h,eavily on the arm of his friend ltussel. 'Humph--yes,' Mr Spires deliberated, his hands clasped behind him, j while Mr Curtiss wrote in cramped short-hand. Presently Mr Spires '-vheeled on the captain. 't)o you know, or most remotely suspect, that, any one would have reason to wish this lady removed; that »tty person cherished revenge agaiftst he?* or thAt any person would be benefited by her death?'. . ... '

He sank his Voice to utter the last dreary word, but his eyes wertj en Alexander as he audibly breathed it. Mrs Ellathoi'ne hearing,, clasped her hands convulsively in her lap, and threw a glande of anguish at Alexander;

So they both saw thg gleam;of absdlutt; Wrath that s^ot from his blue eyes, and the wrigovernkble spasm of terror ■ that • tortured his damp brows». and well Were all Such crumbs of observation Sifted afterward.

*Hhe captain revolved the" signifleaiit idea in his brain, but came to no i§ori» elusion, save the decided opinion ißat he knew of no one who did hot lov*i Glennie Calvert, who ever knew hfcr. '•

'Mr Spires,' tittered Alexanders trembling Voice, 'never moot gttch a 'thing again. What' should We kjiow of diabolical plotting against the pure life of such as she? Wht» could ask such a question that knew her .ag we did? Her whole sweet; life waappen' as the day; neither plot nor iiijittery;, lurked beneath her ltnrfely jSee^Ugvl Ask the captain; as"k Mrs ISliathOrne, who nursed her when a baby; go to her little sister, Florice, who knew the I very thoughts of her bosom. Why I should man or deyil conspire against j Glencora?' ' ' ' • !

'And there Was ii 6— —' Mr Spires hesitated, before the broad, m^hly gaze of the haughty Buccle'ugh, aiid bending to the ca^ili, WhispeWd to him, "fhefe was no previbUs .attachment that yOuWer^'awati of1?'

Quickly- came vthe.. captain's answer aloud: „ . ... ... 'No, Mr Spires; Glencora never loved but once, and 'that-was the man she should have married yesterday.'; Mr Spires threw off bis judicial pon~ derousttess, tucked nis gold snuff-box into his vest pocket,-ajidj. p^Uitig ,on his left band glove, turned to tfcft captain, demanding briskly:: •Gefttleinen, do you put the ease in my hands?' . 'Unreservedly, Mr Spires. Qnly weigb. anchor as soph as ys>u e»n, cried the captain, eagerly. Alexander quickly interposed, however: .- ■ " : :.■ .;

'Perhaps you may have a surer chance of success if one of us. who know the circumstances so minutely* should personally aid yon, and be kept carefully informed-of every fresh disclosure. In. fact, I -wish to beg: you to accept me as «. colleague in the work. I shall know her under any ei-rcttto-stances, however ime^peet^^; in afty idisgTiis« they may i «#e iier to vas-; sume, however ;(pbßfißrie;<^«i^«B fate

cleverest officers might pass her daily face to face and be none the wiser.' Mr Spires nodded two or three times and as he cogitated, his half-smile was not pleasant to see. 'Very good, Mr Bucelexigh—very good! You shall be the companion of Mr Curtiss. But, mind, you'll have yourself to thank if you are led to any disagreeable .discovery in the course of the investigations, which, I promise you, will be keen as the winter wind. I warn you, there may be strange people, implicated.' 'You would spare my feelings from rude shocks, would you?' said Alexnn-. der scornfully. 'Truly, I have no feelings alive but the hope of winning- her from her abductors, or, if that is. in vain, the thirst for vengeance. Now, let ur arrange our plans. It is time that the first link of this subtle chain was in our hands.' . Wjth a last admiring survey of Alexander* Air Spires- nipped the note book out of Sir Curtiss' fingers, ran his eyes over the cabalistic signs therein, added a note or two himself, and then, resting his. finger tops lightly on his subordinate's little shoulder, said, importantly: 'Very well, Mr Buceleugh, we are agreed. Now this is your man for patient and thorough search; $s sagacity will scent a trail when every one. else despairs. Well, sir, your first move is to go straight to M'cJennet'a yard, and see what you can make of that cabman; make it worth his while, and he will divulge everything. If you are successful in discovering anything of advantage send a hint to me, and at once proceed to business. I shall contrive to obtain the address of the two young bloods who differed over the unknown lady before night, and then 1 advise youi Captain Drummond, to go personally to them, and obtain all the information they are willing to give. x\hd now good morning, Curtiss. There's your colleague; do your best.' Mr Spires gave him a gentle shove that sent him to Alexander's elbow, where he stood, patient and alert, biding th« time for his genius to win him laurels. Then the director of the detective force showed him out of the library. Mr9 Ellathorne instantly seized Alexander and Mr Curtiss, and conducting them into the pretty breakfast room, where Florice, pallid and heavy eyed, drooped behind the daintily laid tray, set them down to eat; with strict* orders to Alexander to make no pretence of doing so. (To be continued daily.)