THE MAYFAIR MYSTERY

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 277, 20 November 1913, Page 10

THE MAYFAIR MYSTERY

Grand Dramatic Story of Love, Intrigue, and High Society.

By J. B. HARRIS-BURL AND, Zuthcr of "Workers in Darkness," "The Enu.se of the Soul," "The Gold Worshippers,'' '-Lilt's Golden Web," etc., etc.

IHAPTEK XIV. ' 1 -TVna- ' Ir ' > v anT is money." said Wil-| :.2.m B>azby. walking backward- and , forward? a."ri!» 'he oiicloth that covered, zhr fioor of his dining-room. "We havei got worker; in plenty, but we want TcnueT." J "I think r-.t'ry case want? that." I Cbampcrß"- , ."'.;-' replied, "sooner or later." "Hut no cause wants it more than <M<r = . <Urr i'lea< do not appeal to the wealthy. We are looked ui>on a? rob-i>.-rs. I suppose we are tliai. but :u present we haven't t.he power to steal." He pause-.! h> the fireplace. and stroked x, ; - ieii beard. ■We miisi have money." be added, "a great d-.-i of money. (."namnernowue. L ■with your rich friend- am! r"!ation=. I -r.rn^h; —wrii. i told you how we stood «'i»n you came here for ibe tirst time." lam a poor man ",:'-e yourself." rVimnerDowne replied. '1 :|-iiik I told ~~>'i that ihe nr.-t lime we rri' i." "Vp'. but a poor man witl, ,i eire;,. «-•• rich friend-. 1 think v.-ry highly! r<: :he aristccr;uv. f hamperi-owi--. The tL-)*:-. c-tmT in Kngijad. i: i: can ot;l-"----'-izi to xalcp i'solf -p.-iotisl;.. \Vor:':i j prrner. i"Q-i.Tirpe7noime. if it would only i i^lns i:.-f.'f into The tigh;. 1- was given ! :;s pc.,i;.;nn h\ thus? who i'l-ushl with '•■) 'n-iW :'n,-v; p.shkin i-'Il h?vp lo keep! re-,1,-;-.-■,[ ~f it. the House of Lords would «=-..' n- ,i po.=ver :u the iami. But the -;'''■" aar- no nee for young nii-n who r i'r;ir -i rl.«. arki think of r.othing but ■ J>r,.ise .1.1.-1 rn:n;:ng and siino;:i-c;. " T!u-----~-t-"-.i. v r.n;>! To.ilise win: i ; :s :\w\ -!'■- a poTrr 'v t'tve lan/i. 1" t.:i-: work. ■ revolt- i;^|f :•■> ; :l e go.xl t.i t:ie country. end ■; r- hound to In- the groa".er-t force in *.'>!:il'»." Lord ( jamuerrni.vne nod,l"d and looked a:n i"r.-.:n i..-. bi-e. -.vhrre ,i n:M .-.;" ■r.ir'ers lay :n front ~! him. The '•'•_'. =rvi-hoarded, fellow si.ii.din; , :n» haarthnifr folir-d "lit amis an:i ; «ii:lpj. William Bleazhy wj-. a fighter— ; *v.-rv in.-b of him: a hard worker >vt;h ! •nt-ad and br.tin. Edurated -,-.: a public 1 school and Oxford, he hud <-:.<r;.-d life I ci<- a oa-rrieior with a private income of t \- hundred a yejr. During -.be rirs; year i 3"- had ■■irired : nto iournaLVm and "had "iw :n<> cninict with rrhen of ide-ir. ■ T.T-n had rime the red-lie, dilMtanre jNTcialie; perio.i. and then tlie awakening -■-' rh- T««:it:«i ..f rfc. He gave bin «--d:i.-p f-«unp -- some twenty thousand WUKlti—io ih? fun. of the Soci.ilis: party, and stir..! life ajain i.- j mner T» !.r-T he was nn trie council ".-• Kr.de™-ior. and ih-Ve ■yearr. aiter jin he was elected m«nlK-r « or south 'r!iniKirj.ui. a position he 'r,\,\ ■""• : 1 niKippot=ed for Lho last siv. years. I|j wi- now -he acknowledged head of the •pvrremp Sioia!i=; party in. the House or ;;: vi? four hundred pound? a year paid Jo Di'nbpr* of Pariknrent. snob a man. -- sp-- .-.f -ne 3<rT3.ntas«s •-f ]-,» birch. --?c fr>nsin h-c way np as i-nrelr as if re ;i.i,i be«n bom in a labourer's rmtage. "•r"n:il T m*i yom." said Ixrrd rha-mner-r.ow-cf. -ifter a pamse. "1 vras al-.iTs ' : ~~- r ~~ -ip mproßsion that iH,-. work ; p "' , -~ ":'""■■" a !H .1? a saint "nates -he «rv ' " ■("'h. -se \"' all thai." i,n""-ion ?'■?■:■-. "in tV oic the Z'" _br -ohle and .erf sl!k<v - ■- ST*.j; I--'i> .ii.l ; ,c -e>p;j • <=-r -T... t;j;-|.- r - fnrep ,-,;' -'j., ~ , i!Trr , -.-... ' !""' "' '' rr ''" • TiS " " "" ' : — ; ]! „,!■ he n,. "."■■.• J■' T ■>»■ r*jr-"-5 m' -.-- ---." T^'" , ■" Tr-rra-e w;,,',% ;,.- : j,j "M". D-" '" hp .V:- ,■- , r 1.----a'wsys r;r, ?!r ;„ my Par . }ry mother, r . Maliray. ever B!eozby-iVs th,- one C7 — ™v p And next month Maiden ..".' j?' ""> ]v - Sf, id. and r shall he --<■<---!> except what 1 ran make myself." '» -• n he reached horn° he went straight 7 T?:,L - fi lo his mothers bedrcom and • ">':.t-j 3»r in wars. Dearest."' he said, as he am oteat:d_kissed her. "what i= it"." ( . ■'•■ ■ I ■'' ;,T: so miserable;" c], e sobbed. >:r t :iarie s has been here. He—he snv? I™* , -T f ~p a i[ j dp of dninV r-nvthin; o:.- st-aso^—that ! must live n.-.-p—that I TT.US- ITr till the -arrrroFr. Oil. ,l a c!,, ['/];,\ '■'■-'1 I were dead—j wish 1 were, _ ■■' her hand in ?il«nr«-. an d ;.V '-■";'• '"*' Tbr il;rht fro:- the shaded — V ii'l not fall ..nor, his fare. :

• -..-. "IL, V,! 00 '^' 1 , f,ir , ,r ' :rd to " good: c . __, "" ' aI^ H . .'' ! ,inTf, "rdpren my -■■' ■- - itrPTnooTi. it ": ? there, in thai ,/." :'.l"" « rr ~.<- D-'Mar- h £ ? „,.-.- ; .-, ". " l ''' l :: ' lTr ' in his life. WastPfi , r > a - •'■ ■r' ? ' rr " :;r !r ' ;?t?r on. mother. I* ■.. :i , •• ..,'■ nf -" ... ' '■'' "'' l? ' ' rv ' ir-a\. ■ -c- --■-' ■' ■ '""'' '■'• !i '"' "lonthf." laachr.i" " '""' "~ ' ''' !n ' : ' : '' r - W-γ:" !■_ „&'.. ,' ' ■osseo :-.,- -,-n. f.-, : .K t , .

•> i. 1 on tiic Ujtht,." -'"-. sajj •■-■/,. ',™ 1 :iH \ m i; Hk.- that ' Take i- J-'M '.f lr,e hox— parpfullv." ' ' Tv- -re,. ?rOTTI „ b) ._- handHn™itl,s l a » ■' w W u"'J u T a/ v c ; '' riul " china " v l=nr, It a dream;- 6 be asked. -« in &« box, put on to4he door, swaetei o^S

Lady Champernowße began to err. ■""Mother, my dear little mother ' he whispered, taking her hand and pressing it to hi- lifts. "Everything if so horrible," she sobbed. "I did so want to havp a pood time this war. Jt 15 ray last chance; when Maiden Tolburst is sold we shall be nobody at aiL We shan't b< , able to entertain. All our friends will drop us. And tberell be no money: we are ruined. I believe it is that which is preventing mc from getting well. J think of it day and night. It is like a hideous ghost sitting by mv bedsde." "Dearest, we must make the best of thine?.'' "1 can't give a penny to charities."' she continued, in the same complaining voice. "Diana Kenyon i-amr round here this morning from the Golden Light Guild. I I Lave always given them fifty pounds. I I ha<l to refuse to continue the subscrip- ■ lion." J •"Diana Kenyon ':'' he queried, and his j heart beat quickly. | "Yes. The girl is not. worthy of you, i •Tack. It's my opinion that she believes 1 yon guilty of the death of young Scott, i She pare mc that impression. There was ! a hard, contemptuous look on her face! when she s.poke of you.'' j "You must not speak like that of her, ; mother." j "But 1 toil you what I saw. No woman ' who loved you could have looked a.s she ! did when I mentioned your name. -lack. dfar. when has Boanerges Scott to be paid':" " I "He has given us till the 30th of July."; "And it is now the 12lh of May. Oh, 1 -la.-k. you arc breaking ray heart. I shall I never iM well. I shall die. L would rather die th<t i live in poverty." "I don't y&c how i can help matters." he :-aii':. gcni ; . It was his mother's folly that, had brought ruin on the family, but i he did not rrproar-h her with that, even j in hi- heart. ' | She caught hold of his hand and 1 •-Trpped it hard. "You know that you can put things straight.' she said, in a low voice. 'TVhy don't you marry Mamie Worcester? 1 ! •] don't love her. No happiness could! come of such a marriage.' , ! J "Site i< a good-natured, sensible girL" j Lady am pern own? continued. " She [ I love= ti-t-,1. and would marry you if you j asked lii —you cannot say you don't , like her." j "As a friend, ye?. But one wants more than that." : j ■• Will, there is love on one side. Jack.! <i~>ar—and how often i- there more than j I than ;it rirs-t? How oilcn is there as | ; much- in i>ur sot? Jack, my boy. this .- killing rat-. 1 shall never be weH j ■flg:i : .ii—never —if we have n-o money." I I lie made no reply. He knew that. • I whether h< , marric i Mamie Worcester or ; I not. whether he were rich or poor. hi« ' ; mother woui.i never get well. But she] I rtm.-t not suspect the truth. At any i I cost he mn=t keep that from her. : • She mov«i 'her hand and touched the ; i shade of the electric lamp so thai the ■ | light fell upon his face. Then she ga-ve . j a low cry of fear and covered her face ; ! with her hands. ; i "Mother, dear." he said prteously. j ■' you must cot excite yourself like this." j " I i-.bsll never get weil. v she sobbed — j j"■ never! 1 saw it in yrmr f.ve. That is j I why you will not marry Mamie. If it i I would make mc well you would do so. ! I know you love mc. and yon would do I-this if you thought . Oh, Heaven.' 1 have mercy upon mc. I shall kill myi .-elt." : "Mother, dear, yon are talking non-! i ~T,~r." he slid calmly. "Of course, you . i "Then ;. T.i do nit :ntf mc " .-he sob-bed. I I- 1 atk v.wh a little thing." ' "TT.'-d'y t"i3t." pf -%\<i. with a smile. I " T- ifierts my wV>v life." ! ! ■ It ■- nntnirg horrible T ask." she ■ -xt-r-,1 ,-n. " nothing d' : .-hnri,-;;ra-b'!e. Half ! J -,.-,,. -no i K"T;nw want ■" marry "Mami?. ; h.-nrnn.---. \u 1 v>u wii' -ivp mr life.' 1./j^.-.i.-v:- ■ " "\ H- UI-*<•"! I-"-- -T;io-->t>i white forehead.: i " 1 will think it over, mother dear." he ] f-i ■;. quietly. • T must i r < ami dress for i 1 .-i-nne- no".. You know thai 1 lore you. ' '.hat 1 want i■> f'.n .i;i I can for you.; I >"nw y.vj ni'.ir-1 I" , q'lW for a time." I } H° left t'n° loom and ■Tnarle ii l way to! i his o'vn bedroom. Here he lit a cigar- j ! ettP. and seated himself in an armchair. j J " Mon.-y!" he r=a;i to hirn=elf. "That; , is the universal cry." j I He had aireadv' derjded that Diana' Ker.yon could not possibly \cv> him. His' love far her «a.~ unshaken, hut then.] asrain. it would be a ea<se of marriage] ■with the love or.lv on one side, even if -h«- consented to marry him. ] i "Have 1 any choice in the matter?": Ihe said to himself. '"'I? it not my clear ! duty to co everything in my poorer to i ] srive others bappdnes.? ? Tf anyone Suffers, it wji-i be myself. And I deserve Ito puffer for my folly, even if it was. no- ; thing worse t"aß.n that, My career, my I -mother's li3.pspiH<=sspernios her life lin the on° ~rale: and in the other— : what ':"

F.efor* T.ard Cha-rnperc-ownp -n-put to ppd that nijrht hp had told hi? mother that he intended to a=k Mamie Worces- | ter to be his wife. Lady Champprnotrne I lay sTrake fnr many hnnrs, piotiirin» i polden vision? of nnlimitpd wealth, of! c-^rer'" ,^ll .- entertainment?, of heT=pli -:lad : in endless succession of costly and map- i r.iiicent drrj?=ns. and of opt son 5 F"n"!lt . j-isp to political poweT. | Kat the one true picture -was merci- I f;il"! hidden from her eyes. i ' j CHAPTER XV. j Lord Champernowne'a weddinz took ; i■:.■- s fit the end of .Inly, and -,ras the j i.:?' pveat event of the ;ea=o3. The : i-.r-r- had talked about it for weeks i 'jpJorc. and the public had taken mors !

thai: its usual i:i'i.-r»st in the details I >r -the bride"., nv;in; t and the list of! '■ostiy prcse-.it>. ! ■.α-niif-. look;.-.; noiidt-rfuih young and ;''!>£■ l.i r. 0 : v.]ji- tt . £ ilk~ r-m-, ■..o.aeied vrith pearl.-, was given away by j • •'" -iineriem Ambassador, and Lore! i ? ern Om vrhite-faced and nervous, i | a, a »nrte ? roora ought to be, wa s "com- • Pir.ied by Wiltoi Bleazby a * best man ; . Uampcraowwij choice in thU \ Wd gwen a good deal a£ offuaee to the p&Qfds or his ac-n set., bat that aia I

"H'sh!" the yonng man replied. "Tou mustn't talk ahoirt hanging in connection with Qiampexnowne." And the whispered remark, overheard by two women in the next pew, caused them to tnm their heads and smile. "One of the most interesting and pathetic features of the splendid function," to quote a Society journal, "was the presence of Cbanrpeniowne, wheele.d into the aisle of the church in a chair which allowed her to lie fall length and witness the ceremony almost as comfortably as if she had Deen in her bed- She was afterwards present at the reception, and enjoyed herself thoroughly. The bride and bridegroom said good-bye to her in a room apart from the crowd of guests. "My dear, dear boy," she said, in a low voice. "I hope you will be as happy as you have, made mc to-day." Then she caught hold of Mamie's band and held it for-a few seconds with-

oat speaking. "Mamie, dear." she said, "there is no one in the world I would, rather have for a daughter than you. May you both be very, very happy—a≤ happy as I "was in my married life.' Lord Champernowne carried the echo of that gentle voice away with him. Above the roar of the traffic as they drove to the station, above all the words of. love that -were whispered shyly in his ears a≤ they travelled to Southampton, to embark on Mamie's yacht for their honeymoon, above, that other voice thai, now and again came back to -him from the past, his mother's parting words rose clear and distinct. They gsrw him hope and courage for the future. Whatever wrong he had done, he had at any rat? given hio mother intense and real happiness. If he had made any sacrifice., it had not. been in vain. Perhaps Heaven would bless such a marriage as- surely as though it had been a marriage of-love. '"What about my ten thousand pounds?" queried Mr Higson. "Explain yourself." said Boanerges Scott, carefully wiping his pen on a piece of blotting-paper and laying it down on the table. "You said. sir. that I was to have ten thousand pounds when lx>rd Champer-uown-e was sentenced to death. And here he is. as happy as, a sandboy, married to a woman with six or seven millions of money, as apparently as likely to be sent to trial as I am." "We must wait. Higson; we mast wait." ■•Well, that's all very well for yon. sir, but what about m?: 'it docs seem hard on mc, doesn't it . ' ■•yes. Higson. I'll admit it seems hard on you." the financier anssrered, with a smile. "But you are in Do immediate want of money, are you?" ~~N"o. sir. thanks, to your kindness," "Weil, then you can loot on this ten thousand as a nice little nest-egg for your old age. It's as certain as though the money were lying in the bank in. your name." , '•[ wish I could think so, sir," "the detective said, doubtfully. "'Eh? What's that? Yon doubt my word? You'd better be- careful. Higson." "No, it's not that, sir." exclaimed Mr Higson, quickly, but " ''You think the case is not proved against lord Cha raperaoTTiie interrupted Scott. "Well, then, it's your business to complete the evidence. There must be nothing left to chance." "S think the evidence is good enough, sir." said the detective, quietly. "But there is the uncertainty of life. I might die. or you might die, sir. if you'll excuse to saying so. Then where should 1 be?" "T don't know There yfull be if yon die. Higson: hut, anywaj, the. money won't matter to you." '"Tes, sir, it "will, if yon don't mind mc saying so. I might get married children. I've done my work. I think I ought to he paid lor it." '■Oh. that's it. is it." laughed Scott. "Marriage, eh? Who is tie lady?" "There is no lady, sir: but there might be." "I ?pp. Well, do you suggest that. I should pay you this money without.getting anything in return" "1 only want to know, fir, when you are thinking of putt-ins the information in the bands of the police. If it were only -a matter of a month or so " "it will be longer than that. Higson." "'l'd warn you. sir. that the evidence won't improve by keeping. It will look bad. sir. if it's ke.pt too long." "I don't cure how it looks. I shall strike juct when 1 please." "Don't target, sir. that your hind may be -forced —thai others may strike before you." The financier laughed unpleasantly. ••You'd better try it on. that's all." he jfcaid. I "I'm not speaking of myself, sir: but •Miss Kenyon knows the whole Ftary. I ! don't suppose ehe is very pleased at hie 1 lordship'c- marriage to the American I girl/; i "On. she's not that fort- of woman. , ' ' "And if you wpTe to d : p. sir. which ; Heaven forbid " I "H"m. yes. there's tomething in that. I Well. I could leave you the money in my 'Will. I haven't done with Lord ! ChampeTnotvne yet. He's got to suffer a I bit. before I send him to the. gallows." I "I don'i think you can harm him much now. sir. This marriage of his is most unfortunate — our point of view. •Well. sir. I really do think I ong+it to have 6omr of the money now.' , "■Oh. v-ery well. Higson. yon can have half of it now. But I 6ha]l look to you to keep Greenhead qniei." "I*ll do my .best, eir." To 6e continued daily.