The Friarscourt Mystery.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 205, 30 August 1926, Page 16

The Friarscourt Mystery.

- By EDGAR PICKERiNG, (Author of "Love's Triumph," "A Winning Hazard," "Righted at Last," etc., etc.)

resentment were too great for words, they would not prevent he"" from showing' her disapproval very effectu-lly. "I suppose it is useless tor mc to expostulate with you," she said at last with a deadly composure. "To try and prove that you have been entrapped into an engagement of which I entirely disapprove. It is certain to end in unhappiness. lam not blind. I have seen the attempts this girl has made to inveigle you, and I have laughed because I believed you too sensible to be deceived. Kven now I doubt whether you are serious." '"A man usually says what he means when he asks a woman to marry him," replied Dick bluntly. "I'm serious enough." '"Then indeed there is nothing I can urge to prevent you sacrificing yourself, Richard. I had'fondly hoped that you would liave married someone who was worthy to lie your wife, which Captain Sylvester's (laughter can never be." * "I suppose you are privileged, but you are taking an unfair advantage in saying that." lie answered angrily. "We mustn't quarrel mother, 1 won't, at least, and it's best for you to have been told. You will change your opinion of Beatrice when you know her better, and with this he went out of the room, leaving Mrs. Mellish longing viciously for an opportunity of denouncing her for entangling Dick into this hateful engagement. The opportunity present jd useif one morning when Beatrice was met coming out of the most fashionable drape/s in Oldhaven where she had been selecting new dresses, revelling at the thought of Dick's surprise when he saw them, loving him more than ever, if that were possible. He knew nothing 01 Captain Sylvester's succession to wealth yet, which was to be another surprise for him, and at that moment she had no wish to speak to his mother, who instead of passing her haughtily as usual, had stopped. "I wish to have a few words with you, Miss Silva," she began. Beatrice noticed her venomous look and she exulted in knowing her power to crush the angry woman presently. "Are they very important, Mrs. Mellish?" she inquired artlessly "Because I'm really very busy." "Of the greatest importance (o mc," was the reply. "What they may be to you is hardly worth my while to inquire." Beatii.'e gave a quick glance at the hard featured face, and without answering her she and Mrs. Mellish walked on. "Perhaps you will tell mc what this important business is," said Beatrice, after they had gone a few yards. "Please' do not affect ignorance, Miss Silva," replied Mrs. Mellish. "It is so useless, for I am not deceived by your pretence «of not knowing. , My son informs me —" "Oh. dear! Whatever has Dick done now?" interrupted Beatrice. "I object to your calling him Dick," exclaimed Mrs. Mellish wrathfully. "Well, I always 'do. Mr. Mellish was too formal." .Mrs. Mellish had come to a sudden stop, regardless of tho passers-by and of being overheard, for she was too angry to care. "I will not allow you to be flippant with mc," she retorted excitedly. "My son informed mc that he has asked you to marry him. I know nothing of you, which is as well, perhaps, and I can only come to one conclusion, which is that you have deliberately entrapped him into this deplorable engagement, which I will never give my consent to." Beatrice " returned Mrs. Mellish's threatening lodk unflinchingly. "But I love him,'\sho answered. "That I choose to doubt. If he were poor, you would not. You wish to marry him for his money." "And he loves mc," replied Beatrice. "You are accusing mc of what is untrue and unjust, Mrs. Mellish. Poor as you may think mc, I shouldn't have consented to marry Dick because he's well off. I love him very dearly, but I'm too proud to tell you why I've promised to be his wife. I'm so happy that I'm almost sorry yon are angry." "I wish for none of your sorrow on my account," hissed Mrs. Mellish. "This is only what I might have expected from you. Of course you are satisfied. How you and your father must have been gloating over the success of your plot," and she was so overwrought by passion as to be unable to continue. Several people had been attracted by her loud voice, and, unwilling to prolong the unpleasant scene, Beatrice walked away. On reaching home a telegram which had come during her absence was found on the table of the little parlour, and, opening the envelope hastily, she read the contents at a glance. Only those brief fateful words were before her eyes. Everything else had suddenly seemed to have vanished from sight and thought. A deathlike silence was about her, as for a few minutes she remained incapable of moving. Then an inarticulate cry came as she sat down with a look of horror on her ashen face. (To be continued daily.)

CHAPTER 111. Mrs. Mellish Expresses Her Opinion. The evening following Captain Sylvester's visit to London Mrs. Mellish was entertaining some of her friends at dinner, and his name had been injudiciously introduced during the course of conversation. "The man is nothing better than an adventurer," she remarked to a lady sitting a little way down the table. "Places like Oldhavcn seem to mc to be the happy hunting grounds of that class of person. I remember a Mr. O'Toole or MacToole, whatever his name was, being here and he left in debt to everybody, lie was fortunately alone. You know what 1 mean by that." Dick was sitting at the end of the table, and as his mother said this he bent over his plate listening ominously. "Oh dear mc. yes." replied the lady to whom Mrs. Mellish had addressed her remarks. "You were referring to Captain Sylvester's daughter. I admit there is something striking about her, a boldness one might say, and I never i iicouraged any intimacy on her part. I don't care for these half foreign persons." "What anybody can see in her to attract I fail to understand," continued Mrs. Mellish, casting a swift glance at Dick's lowered head. "I'm sure I don't know what' the world is coming to," rejoined the other. "We hear the most distressing cases of heirs to titles and so on actually marrying actresses. It wouldn't surprise mc if Miss Sylva —I do so dislike these unEnglish names—l shouldn't be much astonished if " Dick had got up, thrusting his plate forward, which came with a crash against a heavy decanter, and Mrs. Mellish uttered an ejaculation. "Whatever is the matter?" she asked, and her guests looked at him in surprise. "Well, the fact is, I'm not particularly , keen on hearing people's characters taken away," he answered coolly, and with this he walked out of the room. "People's characters taken away, indeed," said one of the ladies indignantly after Dick had gone. "What an extraordinary thing to say, and so uncalled for. Sufely we may be allowed to express our opinion's. And this Captain Sylvester is not one of ourselves. Who is he? What is he, I ask? We don't know, and therefore cannot associate with him. As for Miss Sylva, I have always avoided speaking to Iter." "Ricaard has acted very rtrangely I must say," added Mrs. Mellish. "Te he interested, do you suppose ?" queried one of the guests, who secretly enjoyed seeing Mrs. Mellish's rage. "I fail to understand what yov mean by interested," retorted the latter. "However, the subject is scarcely worth discussing," and she turned the conversation adroitly. Upon the departure of her guests Mrs. Mellish remained in the drawing room long after her accustomed hour for retiring. Dick's behaviour at the dinner table had made her vaguely uneisy, and on hearing his footstep she settled herself on the couch, awaiting him with the air of a martyr. ' "I'm glad you've waited up/ he said, on coming into the room. "I've something to say which is best for you to know at once." "Before you say any more, I should like to tell you that I was much annoyed by your leaving the table- as you did, Richard. I cannot imagine any reason for your behaving so rudely." "Those women took nay appetite away," he replied, "I fancy they have the class of mind which made Roman women revel in seeing the early Christians thrown to the lions." "I, beg you not to be irreligious, Richard," and Mrs. Mellish held up a rebuking hand. "Please remember the ladies are my personal friends." "I'm thankful they are not mine," he answered. "Have either of them any grounds for traducing Captain Sylvester ?" "I am not aware he has been traduced as you are pleased to call a little innocent criticism," she replied, "r.nd you must admit that Captain Sylvester is scarcely of our social standing." "I don't suppose he would think that a great hardship,. He has borne His Majesty's commission you see." "I know nothing about that," she answered, "I judge from appearance, and am not often mistaken. I do not think he is a suitable companion for you, Richard, and I have said that before. V"our position and future are to he considered, and I think my scruples ought to be respected. I object to Captain Sylvester's daughter." "Because he's poor, I suppose. That's true, but he is a gentleman. Not according to the Oldhaven standard possibly, which doesn't take good breeding into account in estimating a man's worth. Captain Sylvester has that and a dozen other good points which your friends can't appreciate. I needn't say more,however." "I really do not 6ee the least reason for speaking about the people at all," replied Mrs. Mellish. "I'm doing it for your sake, that you may take a more charitable view, for your own peace of mind, when you've heard mc out." "Richard," and Mrs. Mellish spoke imploringly. "What do you mean by this? Why should I alter my opinion of persons of whom I know nothing except that they are mysterious and therefore to be avoided. With regard to Captain Sylvester"s daughter, I have always prevented the slightest approach to familiarity. I could not be on friendly terms with Miss Silva, and have not hesitated in showing her my dislike." "I don't want to say hard things, mother, nor hurt your feelings, but that wasn't very kind of you," he answered, "and it makes the position rather difficult too. I want you to put all this absurd prejudice, which, believe mc, knowing Captain Sylvester as I do, hasn't the slightest foundation, I beg you to put it on one side. And I can't allow Miss Silva to be spoken of lightly, even by you." "And why not, may I ask?" "Because she is to be my wife." For an instant, Mrs. Mellish seemed struck dumb. Anger, consternation, mingled with a kind of despair were holding her speechless, and Dick pushed back his chair. There was no more to. be said. The duty of informing his mother of his intended marriage had been performed, and being keenly conscious of her feelings towards Beatrice he was heartily glad that ohe had accepted the news so quietly. In" this'he was | mistaken, for if Mrs. Mellish's rage and