The Woman on the Derelict..

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 29, 3 February 1904, Page 3 (Supplement)

The Woman on the Derelict..

r " f_JL_ Riohtb Rbsbevkd,]

BEING THE STRANGE LOVE STORY OF JOHN BRAMWELL

« CHAPTER VII. ' ayD e readily imagined with what itier.ee 1 to 1-t'K J- » % What it was I could not even **. ture When all was said and done. «£, the last man from whom, expect- j recei ve any sort oi help. | ( ~f fe ll what can you do for me': I 2 aomewhat impati-nfiy, I an, I ' a "If you can see a way out ot f difficulty.' I «/»" re J"" JZ'™ j man than I am. Let mc Lea. j "tat yon hare to say. 'Scratched bis head and paused for late before he replied. He was eve | '"T turiiin'' something over in his; -■f Sngsnmmed him up by this, |£l did not interrupt him. I ""VeH. you see. if. this way he be-I rather bashfully. "_iy mothers a tS'not quite see whal -hi* had to ,',S, the ease-but lln > go on ;iway and tell the -Mry aceordt Ms own fashion. iv I ,ay. mother's a widow . he went ■■She'lives all Hampton Court - L to the Palace, and she's got nobody l * girtcr. and a .-ro-.-gnunrd old lute if « scn ' ;l, - t ""■--'- hrl ' > ''"' 1 . "1° cdrl like Mi- Alexandra with I'd stake my life she'd & after her like a mot he-. O, course '.yonuldn't afford to keep h«r for nnt.i,_brt 1 pn*« «""»»ld m,i;cetl.e hen iritale tow.!".;- i>. nhy . i01l ldD"f sho go down re . „• ma.cr- ,".,- ni for a lime, and until you know , fcal Vou"rc going to do with her?" | Th ;. certainly -ceined 1., be a way , P ut of mv difJfiilty. and 1 jumped at it Tvoit 'may suppose. N'oihmg could. „ ay ; suited my purpose better . | "'-Eut are you quite -or- that your ! _ other would fare to take her itiV" I, euquired. . ; ••I'm perfectly sure ol it. was his | a „ s , re r and he added quickly, as it on ' an ' a fter-tliou S ht. "Of cour-e you could, !0 down and see her whenever you anted to To this generous suggestion 1 do not ■ reic-nd that I offered any reply At lasi : VP reached Plymouth and brought up •ngie the breakwater. When the cable in through rhe hawse bole one of the ; , 10 jt eventful voyages of my life was j an end. We made the Harbour be•ween seven and half-pa-t in the mornbb—the water like glass and scarcely I raoagh wind to bring us to our an- ' rtiorage. Before mc was the historic Hoc. to the left Mount Kdgcombc and in the right the fort-clad heights of .>:-. i rtdon. When all is said and dorr there arc lew places more beautiful than the Metropolis of the West, as il is called by sdmirers. And a long -ea voyage, with all its attendant trouble-, i- just the tiling lo make one appreciate its beauties. A-soon as I arrived 1 despatched a Mciram to the Hnllket's owners, ad-vising-lta) of -my arrival, anil asking •them for instruction-'. I well imaiine what, a surprise that message must have been,tp tle-n;—lor. of cur.-c. tk'v knew nothing of mc — not even my ume—and as I could noi give flieni ihe time of the ship, douhtle-s they deemr\ nic a madman of the lirsi degree. ' however, in due i-our.-e. a reply reachfil mc to the effect than a member of the firm was starting for Plymouth, nnd would be with nic that night. During the afternoon 1 per.-nailed Miss i Alexandra to come on d,-vk. How prptty she looked I cannot tell you. The rest and quiet of the last week had forked wonders with her. The colour had come back to her cheeks, and the felt into her eyes. How much this ['leased mc I leave you to gue-ss—bm •::}• did not her memory return too? Ton can have no idea how miserable | v .:; made mc! Never could there have tan a sweeter woman. That she was Mteful for such little services as I "snld'do for her was apparent—and *'t, try hgw I might. I could not lift y veil that hid the secret of tie last .« weeks. W e paced the poo;, together, and I % I broached the subject of her ftitare, "Can you reali.-e (hat (his i- old " 1 SH i d ,„ | ICl ._ hv wav ~.-- --•arodn.-tioii, for between ourselves I «»t mind admitting that 1 v, ■» - more. :in a little hit nei-vou- li isn't "enr day that a nun, is called upon to '-range the future of a beautiful girl J" nose antecedents he know., ab-o-•J'elv nothing, and yet with whom he is bead and ears i n !, )V e. I-or I t mind confessing that, by this "*• 1 was madly in love with 'her. afternoon train brought the di;"jWrl have already spoken of. I was ■7 at the time 'of his arrival-hut , dckson received him at the gangway. rV«oon as 1 heard mv name called ' I Redout of my hunk-I had turned S deck 011 " 0 ' Ull ~ lanJill -- '" lJ rnn "P I Ji rBl * amwel! ' T believe." said a fall. 1 'jessed gentleman. ".Mv name is [ lan, encof , he directors ; < b * Hullk-ot Line. We had a lelc--1 from you this m0rn..,,-. Of course I J e( ! Uif em the dark about the whole I But doubtless you ,-an rx- ' Z-» m afraid " !< « mailer tha! will I Z * Sood deal of explaining." I 1 ci l i nthp | ~il", ,il " '' ,a " ; " ! * - f ' tell you ttho I am." j t ,-Wpiu* ensued. While ii last--1 hat Z K A °' :k " f IIX inunacuhate lop Proceeded tiTr T* T,,m ' «tt«,of H " '"""'"' ""' C '"'"--- ir '- - --;1 N»of « '" m ''" !,i,n I,IP 9 tentivel U ' at ! '" ,Ni "" Pd at ' 1 Vlt t0 , Wl,at 1 ''•"' '" -ay. hut be''■at il - 1 " n ' lvpd at '- ; '" conclusion would do nothing f O , I 'Weo'BiT f °[ the vesse' J fo/hS "? he, P 'bem-elves-buta^ I l4?et e a eX r Se3 ~ UCmJ -' a ' >,P " 1 f: ' al 1 *t *as I t . on, P ai, y and as such char I "I ScUnnn- • '"' PX|,f "'"'' l "f them. '" - hat ™« you expeel That i- " ]llni d '- xu "- -5 -Nation" , n fol ' >'"'»• own eon ' -"ilo thai' replied—with a snnu r Ff omtL? nsed m( -'«'""-f '-■" frenxv- ♦ V m ,l!lvr to!J '"<- l P»*h« I >n'vonr 11 " , wllol '' ''esnonsibilit. 1 "•ou! 4b "- n ; Of course w', I *^a n w y, "° " la ' l '" lln anvthinj I *- a «-l in _ y ° U rau "-- K ' l -' iliai we ■ ar ' Yer *' invidious position. \\

flu GUY BOOTHBY (Author oj "Dr. Xitola," "My Indian Qvcrn " p " Etc., Etc.j.

knew -nothing of the lady—you admii. that murder was committed on board— you accept command, and the first thintr you do is io destroy all traces of th? crime. Yet you expect us to takz everrthing for grained, and do just as you wish." "But T give you my word."' He raised his hand as if in protest. "You must, forgive mc, but my word is my word. and when' I've said that I've said everything. If you're going to throw this poor girl over, you deserve to be hung, and hy the Lord Harry I'd willingly do it for you."' 1 suppose in all his life he'd never been talked to like that, It certainly die] not agree with him—but little 1 eared! I wasn't his servant, and had no desire lo be. "We'll have to fight this matter out," said he. as he went, towards the gangway. . "You've insulted mc!" i ■'Have I?" r replied. "Get oil' my • boat, or I'll lake my boot to you."' Before I could say any more he was iown ihe gangway, and into the launch < alongside. , "You'll hear from mc about this,"' he j -hooted up to mc. "PI t°aeh you tha! you i •ant insult people with impunity, mv 1 tine gentleman." To this threat 1 offered no reply, but I ivalked to the other side of the'deck, ivhere Jackson was standing, grinning 1 'rem car to ear. t "I dnti'l envy you your employers, if i hat's a sample." 1 remarked. "I should i 'lave liked to in.inhaul him a bit. It :• vould do him good." i "You're not the only one." he replied, i 'It'- just that sort of man who makes ( i sea life the ho)! it is. Pour pay, cheap i ■tores, and clear out and find another 1 icrih if you're not satisiied. It's a pay- 1 ng game from their point of view—but ■ lot from ours." c "Now what about Miss Alexandra?" ; asked. "We must think about her." * "Why not do what 1 sugesfed, and el her go to my mother." he answered. ' 'I'll tell you what I'll do. I've got a J ew pounds saved, and if you like to go ' nto i:. I'l do what I can to help." 1 lii- ciller touched mo more than "i can < say. He was a typical sailor, full of renerosity and kindness of heart—will- - ng to surrender anything he'd got to ( iclp another in distress. I told bint that ' 'here was no need for him to do any- ' hing of the kind—but that if he would ; isk his mother to take lhe poor girl in, ' i would not only he doing a sendee to ' her. but he laying mc under an ' ■•verlasling obligation. That afternoon : lie telegraphed to his mother, and later received an answer to the ofTeot that ' she would be very glad lo do anything .-he could lo help. Accordingly. next morning-, having for the time being s p y- • orcd my connection with j the ill-fated vessel, I. left her in Jack-! son's charge, and went ashore. laMng I Mi,-s Alexandra with inc. From the man- j agei- of one of the principal hotels I I obtained the address of a doctor who was i a specialist in mind diseases. Engaging a cab I drove her there al niic-e. 1 can see lv r now. sitting in that half-dark-ened room, looking as beautiful as any woman could be. I did my best lo interesi her, but without puecr=«. Si" 1 did no; seem to care for anything. It was one of the saddest things 1 have ever seen in my life. Presently our turn came, and I a«ked for an interview with the doctor. Miss] Alexandra I left in charge of lhe nurse, i i can see now that grave, professional j face, with its kindly gray eyes looking] out from beneath the shaggy brows. "May I ask what you think is the matter with your wife." he began, putting up his pince-nez as he spoke. "The lady is not my wife.'' I replied, and in response In another enquiry, I \ proceeded to give hint a rough o'tfine of | t ho- case. He listened attentively, nodding hi- head at intenah 1o show that he understood. j "Very sad—very sad."' he said, when 1 had finished. "J have fnly .-ecu one inMauoe like it. I will see and let you know | what 1 think of the case." He rang tbe bell and instructed the. j servant lo usher the lady 'Tito tbe room. I On bearing this I rose to leave—feeling that il would be betler for him lo see her! alone. Try to imagine v, hit en anxious lime il was for mc. It was as ii' all my! life-all my happiness—depended on the | i.-.-oe of the next few minutes. You cannot think how anxiously 1 watched the hands of the dock. Every minute, seemed J an hour. At, las>t the. door opened, and she entered the room. It was apparent a I once that the interview had had no effect upon her. She showed no signs, lof emotion, nor did she appear to po.-'S-l Jess any dcSnitc knowledge ol her'surrounding. 3 "May I see you for a moment?'' asked the doctor —when she had entered tbe I room and seated herself. j 1 accordingly followed him into his comi suiting room, and seated myself in the [ chair I had previously occupied. I "What do'you think about the case?"' ! I asked, not. I can assure you, without ii considerable amount of anxiety. "Will j she ever recover?" "I cannot see why she should not." he ' replied. "It. is evident that she has rej ceived a great mental shock, but she is young, and with care and qu'et I see no reason why she shouldn't regain her normal faculties. Quiet is, however, the j e-seniial thing. Kxcitemcnt of any kind | must be avoided. If you will be guided by mc. you will take her to some quiet inland place, and. to use n slang expression, allow her to run wild for a time. After a shock, such as she has undoubtedly received, you may be quite sure jtha't menial rest is the only positive i cure."' "1 will follow your advice most faithI fully," I replied, picking un mv hat as 1 !.spoke. "Keep her as cheerful as you can. lie ! continued. 'Avoid excitement as iar as ' possible, induce her to take as much | out-of-doors exercise as you can end 1 i feel sure, you will see a vast improve- ] merit in a few weeks. She- is naturally la strong and healthy girl, and I should j say she"would throw it ot! after a time I —but you will have to be diplomatic." I assured him that I would do all T I possibly could, and then having .settled i matters with him, returned to the rec.epI tion room, when- Miss Alexandra was i awaiting my coming. She rose r.s 1 enj tered, and came towards mc with hands , out stretched. | "'Pake mc away," she said, "I am | afraid of this house. Why did you bring nic here?"

"Because I wanted to make you quite strong again,'' I said; "surely yon do i not blame mc for that! You have bad a.. lot of trouble, and 1 want to take it off: your shoulders if 1 can." | "1 am afraid 1 do not understand," she, answpred. . ; "You must not try to,"' was the reply.] "Leave everything to mc end you will j lind it will be all right in tha end." llsiving seen the. doctor I returned io the j.hip, taking Miss Alexandra with mc. 1 cannot teli you ho-i» msiris 1 wa.s it- see the last of her—l.ho ship, of coarse, 1 mean —uol Miss Alexandra. Two hours later we were in the '.rain. flying across country en route for London. I had made my report to the authorities, and had left Jackson in charge, vending the decision of lhe "Huilket" Board. Through their representative they had informed mc iliat they did rot intend doing anything for Ma.-;: Alexandra, so 1 did not feel in any way bound to them. X was nearly sis o'clock before we reached London—a muggy, ebs • fitternoon, v.ith a suspicion or" thunder in tbe air. As lhe express did not step at Sorbitol,., it was necessary for us to go on to Waterloo, and t.'en to take the train r,n the other line back to Hampton Cent During the entire journey Miss Alexandra scarcely spoke. When i gave her lunch, for which 1 had telegraphed beforehand, she thanked mc, but seemed to take no sort of interest, in it. I tried io rouse her without success. Jt seemed as if the mystery thai surround?d her was not to be solved. She sat n her corner of the compartment 1 had eserved for ourselves, looking straight jeforc her, never glancing nut. of the .vindow and apparently oblivious of all :hat went on around her. On reaching Waterloo we bad time n have a cup of tea before catching the rain for Hampton Court. It had been i long and tiring journey, but she had mt once complained. While we were landing on ihe platform at Waterloo I mt iced the way in which people looked it her. Vet she was quite unconscious if any admiration she excited. As a natter of fact 1 really do not believe hat she had any knowledge of how leautiful .-he was. She was ihe tirst soman J had ever loved, and. in conse[uenee, you must forgive mc if 1 am i little conceited, though I can assure •on I bave not the least intention to be. dackson had not only written to bis nother to inform her of our coming, but had also taken the precaution of telegraphing 1o her from Plymouth giving ier the time al which we hoped to trrive. On reaching Hampton Court I engaged i cab ancl bade the man drive us to Aea•ia Villa, by which name Mrs Jackson's esidenoe was known to the neighbouriood. It was situated near the bock, aid commanded a pretty view of the -iver. 1 was agreeably surprised by il. "or 1 feared that it 'might be of lhe jsiial suburban typo, aud situated in some back street. •'This. Miss Alexandra." 1 said, as the ■al' drew up before the door, "'is to ho, for a time at lep.st. yonr home. Do •on think you will like it?" "1 cannot' tell,'' she answered, "but 1 suppose so." By lhe time we had alighted the cabman had rung lhe bell, and had carried the small trunk of necessaries, which 1 had purchased for her in Plymouth, up the steps to the front door, which was opened by a„neai maid-ser-vant. <>ur arrival was evidently expected, for we were invited to enter, and informed that Mrs Jackson was awaiting us in the drawing-room. She proved"lo be a pleasant, picturesque old 1-nlv with grey hair, a little time, b\tt villi a cheery smite end winning manner. She welcome;! her imw charge with motherly kindne-s. and then shook hands with rue. -1 feel sure we shall be very good friends. „iv de.tr." she continued, addressing the girl. --And I hope you will be happy wi;h us.' she inquired what sort of a journey we had. and proffered us tea. but as we had partaken of il in the train we both declined. We bad scarcely dor = --o before lhe door opened and a tall. bu:;om girl, boasting an absurd likeness to mv lnte mate, entered the room. •Tills is mv daughter Janet," remark--od the old lady, and she shook hands with both of us. \fter ii few nmmenfs conversation the newcomer suggested that their gue.-t might like io see her room, and tnev necordinglv went out together. 1,,,;;,,,, n , alone with lhe old lady. which was exactly whal I wanted. •'Mr' Jackson.'" I -'hi. *< u ' r ;1 s, " ,rt pause, "I cannot liiae.k you enough for vein- kindness in lakinsr in this poor _irl. who has suffered i's very few girls of her arte have- i-, -r ii..i;e."' 1 know scarcely anything of the matter,'' .-be replied. "1( is true mv son v, rote tn mc rind a.-ked mc if J would be willing to take her in, but. tiio'o-h he .-■••• id -he had been through terrible trouble al sea. he did no! tell mc what that trouble was for the reason that he thought it would conic better from yon."' 1 then sei to work and told her everything. She 'heard mc out with undisguised interest and horror, remarking at intervals, "poor girl—poor girl." "And I under.'land she can remember nothing of what occurred," she said, when 1 had finished. ••Nothing of any importune?." was my reply. "The memory of that terrible time is wiped ofT her brain, just as one wipes figure.-, off a slate. We are even ignorant of her name, though we call her Alexandra. 1 though Seymour might do for a surname until we can discover her own. It is not a very brilliant flight of fancy, but il will serve tile purpose as well iis another." "But il" you say that, every trace of her identify or thai of the ship was destroyed, 'how is that identity to be discovered, and who will do it ?"' "1 shall."' 1 replied. "I have set my heart on bringing the inhuman wretches to boo!:, and I shall not rest content until I have mastered every detail of one of the most atrocious crimes 1, or any other man. ever heard of." "You appear to feel very strongly on the subject, Mr Bramwell," she said, and as she did so it struck mc that she looked rather curiously at mc through her gold-rimmed spectacles. "Who could help doing so';'' was my renlv. "My blood boils whenever 1 think of it." "And 1 understand that the owners of the 'Hulket,' who will probably make a considerable sum of money out of it, will not contribute in any way to the poor girl's support':" "Not one halfpenny." 1 answered, remembering tbe scene 1 had had with the director that morning. •'Forgive an old woman's impertinence, but am I right in supposing that you, a perfect stranger, intend doing it yourself ?" I answered in the affirmative.

! ''You arc very generous. j "Not at all. I pity lier from the bot- : torn of my heart. But, Mrs Jackson, do not let us misunderstand each other. I 1 am doing it because 1 love her. and because I hope some day to make her !my wife. But not while her mind is 1 eloudefl 'like this, rihe shall have fair j play, and if, when she. can think for J her.-;elf, she will tak" mo for her husband, I shall be amply repaid for any trouble I may have taken." (To be continued in Saturday's Supplement.)