THE WOMAN OF THE IRON BRACELETS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8789, 10 March 1894, Page 2

THE WOMAN OF THE IRON BRACELETS.

Br Frajtk Barrett. (Continued front last Saturday.) CHAPTER XLIII.—LAW3ON Shows Mc That He still holds a Trump Card. , Having thus turned the tables uoon Lawsen, I went off, leaving him standing there In the middle of the road, with a look of blank dismay in his face, wasdelightful to behold. -And when a bend in the road gave mc an opportunity of glaueing back, I perceived hire, with &ha corner of my eye, still fixed there. He had no reason to doubt the accuracy of my statement, and evidently no stomach to put is to the test. He dared not go on—indeed he must have known not which Way to turn. Where was he to go ? What was he to do? 1 said to myself with sathfactaction that he might very well stand there for a hour before he could find an acceptable answer. I feel highly please with myself for preventing an encounter betweeu St. John and Lawson; for there is something debasing at all times in personal violence, and there was no triumph and little satisfaction of any kind to begot by thrashing so spiritless a cur as Lawson. Besides which, to such a coward as he. the dread of the bodily suffering is more terrible than the pain itself, as 1 have seen over and over again in those who have endured months of agony with a troublesome tooth rather than submit to the momentary operation of having it out. So I reckoned that the fear of a thrashing would deter him effectually from going near the court while St. John was there. But what pleased mc still more was to find St. John's conclusions verified, and know that my dear Mary had not yielded to the temptation of worldly advantages laid before her by Lawson. His return, his fury, and his threats left no doubt in my mind that she had tricked him —taking him once more to London, and there slipping adroitly out of his hands In the very moment of triumphant possession. * I quickened my pace, thinking that I should find Mary at iiooie; •'Has _j M Smith returned I" I asked,

the moment that Morton opened the door. { " No, sir. Havn't seen any thiug_f Miss Smith." an "Are there any letters for mc § "Yes, sir, two came in by the second post. They're oa your table, sir," At the first glance I saw that they wero not addressed by her hand. I opened them, nevertheless, with a faint hope. One contained a circular, the other a begging letter. ' — i Why had she not returned? -Clearly there had been no time for Lawaon to execute his threat. But the recollection, of that threat remained a fear in my mind. Ho said that the place was still watched. Was that a threat? Had he, fearing treachery on her part, obtained a warrant the day before, and instructed Matthewa to put it in force if she returned? Patting thesfe questions to myself, I went through the garden, opened the wicket, and looked into Mill Lane. There, sure enough, a man was sauntering along with his hands ia his pockets. It was neither Matthews nor the cabman, but a man who looked as if he micht be a shopman out of work. He sauntered no farther down than the stable gate, then he turned about and canze back with the same leisurely gait. Our eyes met as he drew near, and there was a peculiarly knowing look in his. " Well, my man," said I, tackling him at oDce; "and who are you?" Ho regarded mc with a complacent grin on hi* not ill-looking face, and replied— " Why, sir, if you must know, I'm a policeman." " And what are you doing here?" His grin broadened a little as he answered, after a moment's oause : "You'll excuse mc, sir, but that's my business, and not yours. Good morning.' And with that he sauntered On again.

If Mary bad been taken he would not have been hers. So far, so good. Bat she might rsturn at any moment, and then what would happen ? With this and other questions of a like kind agitating mc I went indoors and bade Morton put the pony in at once. As soon as the chaise was at the door I drove to the end of the village and pulled up at the cross-roads, that I might give Mary timely warning if she appeared, waited there until between eleven and twelve, when Fawcett came in sight, his chin in the air, aud his glasses on the tip of his long nose. "Did you come by train ?" I asked. He nodded, " Was the up train in ? " f " Just left the platform as we stopped. , He saw by my manner that the case was urgent, and abstained for once from his customary divagations. " You did not overtake Miss Smith on the road ?" I inquired anxiously. "No; but I saw another friend of yours at the station. Mr Lawson was on the down platform. Perhaps he was waiting for her." It seemed as if he had already divined the situation of affairs. ■ " W s he alone?" "No ; talking to a little old ferrety-faced mau." That was undoubtedly Matthews. With him and Lawaon waiting to apprehend Mary, there was little prespect of her returning to mc. Fawcett, yoa are wanted at Hignatn Court. villainy is discovered, said I. " St. John has taken possession of the place, and legal steps must be taken to prevent Lawson doing further mischief." . '. . „ " Who's Mrs Lawson's banker? Have they stopped payment of cheques ? ' he asked, jumping* in the chaise with I fl.l fl.CT_fcV "I don't know anything about that. Can you drive ? " " Quicker than you, I'll be bound. Give mc the reins." • " I must go back. There's another affair calls my attention, and—--Listen, Fawcett," I cried, following the* chaise lashed poor old Bess. "Yon come back to mc as soon as you can be spared." He made no reply, for all his attention was centred in working Bess into a gallop. I returned slowly to the house. The man was still sauntering along the path as I passed Mill lane. -I went indoors, but anxiety would not let mc stay there; so presently I wandered out into the road again, topaceupand down the footpath with my eye on the bend of the road, though reason told rne I had nothing to hope for. .'..,. lb may have been about half an hour after Fawcett had left mc when a fly came into sight, and pulled up before my gate, and Lawson thrust his head from the win- ->__ n " Are you alone, Dr. Harvey ? " he asked, with an apprehenaive glance at the house. " As you see." said I. " You will give mc your word of honour that St. John is not in your house." • •'He is at the Court; and he will stay thpre, I promise you." ** I must speak to you in private upon a mstter that you cannot afford to disreAs he spoke he stepped ont of the fly, followed by Matthews, who saluted mc with an impudently familiar nod. " I am willing to hear what you have to say ; but that old rascal shall not enter my house again. One at a time, if yoa please." • __~,. „ "You will stay outside with Williams, said Lawsou, addressing Matthews, ." If anyone comes, whistle." lied Lawson into ray room, and then closing the door I said— " Now. Mr Lawson, what have you got to say to mc ?" "Ifind that your statement is correct. Mr St. John broke into my house last night, and has taken forcible possession of .it. As I have no desire to subject myself to the fury of a madman, he must maintain the position he has obtained by fraud and violence until legal means are employed to remove him. But that delay is not agreeable to mc. It does not suit mc to be homeless, even for a few days. I wish you to tell him' this. Dr. Harvey, as you have some sort of affection for the unfortunate fellow, and let him know that I willoverlpok his violence, and in considerationoffamily ties, take no proceedings to punish this insolent violation of right and justice, if he promises amendment of his conduct and quits the neighbourhood immediately." V The man's impudent assurance took my breath away.for a moment, then with a laugh, I said* "You will have to offer a very much stronger inducementthan that to get St. John out of Hicham Court, I assure you. He i 3 nob more likely to turn out at your threat than he is to apologise at your desire; and your legal proceedings, let mc tell you, are as powerless. an, either. He has nine points of the law in his favour to begin with, and the tenth to my certain knowledge—the tenth—is at this very momeht'in course of preparation." "What do you mean? Please use phrases that I can comprehend." as plain as you can desire. One of the best lawyers in the country has j jusu driven out to the Courfc ia my chaise to take instructions from Mrs Lawsou for entering nn immediate action against you ,for divorce." j : This staggered him for a moment; but, recovering confidence, he said, with a mal'cioua grin— '• The case will break down, for you can produce no evidence of cruelty or any other offence that a jury will accept. My rights will bo vindicated, aud," he added, dropping his voice and thrusting his wicked ftee nearer to mine, " you know enough to understand how I shall employ them." ... " I don't need that assurance to believe you capable of any villainy," said I; bat he did not seem to hear mc, for, half ctos- j ing his eyes, and still looking in my face, he exclaimed — "So this is the reason she has not come back. I see the whole design now. But you count too much upon the success of your plot, for I can prove that this 'Miss Smith' left the hotel in a cab half an Hour after she went up to 1 her room, and in my absence." " Thank Goo," said I to myself. " And that evidence proving my innocence, what remains?" "The letters in your secret drawer," cried I, boldly. He started as if he had been 9truck. " Who has dared to commit this out- i rage," he gasped. "Sc. John and he dares do more than , that to avenge the wrongs of his mother i and sister. Beware cf him, I say again. It is you who have to promise amendment, and keep out of the neighbourhood. You have neither force nor law to defend you. The letters you have left are sufficient to dispossess you for ever of any place in Mrs Lawton's house, and with those in evidence, happily it will riot be necessary to produce the incriminating correspondence yoa have addressed to Mary, which she left in my hands to prove your guilt." This again silenced him for a minute. When he spoke it was in the desperate tone of one forced to the last extremity. ~ "You have played this game well amongst you," said he, bitterly, " but it is not won yet. 1 have still a trump card iv my hand, and that's a high one. Shall we play out the lasi trick, or draw the game by a compromise, that's the question you have to put to St. John. _ "He will accept no compromise that gives you power to practise further (iniquity upsu his mother aud sister, be sure of that."

" Well, I can afford to part with the pair [ of them. Let Mr St. John give mc a proper nodertakißg to commit no farther violence upon mc, and make each * pecuniary settlement as may be agreed npoa by our respective solicitors, ana, he paused for an instant. " and I wlllagre* to leave the country and not return to It. "Suppose St. John declines to accept a a compromise—refuses, as it is more than likely he will—to make any conciliatory terms with such a scoundrel as you.—what then?" "Why, then," cried he. striking the table, "by Heaven Mary shall suffer for her crime. And if she hang—&» I pray with all my soul she may— then yoa and St. John can share the credit of her punishment between you." "A very pretty threat, but nothing more. Yoa have to first catch your hare, Mr Lawson." " Pm uot fool enough to make threats that I cxnnot enforce, or to expect concession from St. John unless it could be ; shown that it is to his advantage. If you j had suffered Matthews to come in here, as j I proposed he should, he could have written iv your presence an agreement to find Miss Smith in four and twenty hours or forfeit all payment for his services and the expenses he has been put to. Shall I call him in now ? If he refasea these conditions, I will abandou my position at once." j "I have not the slightest doubt that he would accept any conditions, or make any compact that you choose to dictate." " Take my offer to St. John. He 3hall have time for consideration. I will send Matthews here at ten o'clock to-night to take his instructions from you. You yourself shall tell him whether Mary is to live or die." He marched to the door with a sardonic jrin at the trepidation I felt in the terrible •esponsibility he had craftily thrown upon ny shoulders; but stopping there he turned, and added — "Let St. John understand that if he erases my conditions, I shall take this ice of vengeance in payment of what 1 save lost through your eang." I nodded and followed him. into the jassage. Morton was in the hall dusting the jarometar.. He diyed his hand quickly nto his pocket as Lawsou approached, but latching sight of mc. at that instant he Irew out hia handkerchief, coughed, and ;hen went on dusting. At that significant novemeut of his, Lawson stopped an nstant, but finding mc upon his heels noved on with a whispered word which -year failed to catch at that distance. What was the purport of this ? I asked myself. " What have you to do when you have hushed dusting, Morton?" I asked. " Nothing, sir." "Then go up in the attic and set the umber-room straight." His compressed lips showed that-he dlsiked the job' exceedingly, and I felt sure :hat I had balked him in some purpose suggested by that whispered word from Lawson. CHAPTER XLIV.—A New Ally. With this conviction I went out to see if Lawson was waiting for my man to come ;o him ; but he was gone, and had drawn iff his forces —neither Matthews nor the nan who called himself a policeman being inywhere in sight. Nevertheless, having lothing else to do I kept watch upon the road uutil Morton came to tell mc that unch was served, when, now feeling sretty sure that there was no longer auy langer of further collusion between them, [ went In and sat down to my waiting neal, forgetting this incident in the graver considerations that faced mc. I was rising from the table when Fawcett returned from the Court. " Don't take the pony out," said he, as [ was sending Morton with the trap to the stable. "I shall want you to drive mc to :o the station iv half an hour. Now, then," le added, bustling into the house, " give aae a glass of sherry and a biscuit, and tell mc all the particulars of this) case. I can jnly get part of them out of Mr St. John. Where's that remarkably clever young lady, Miss Smith ? " he asked, glancing ac the single cover on the table. "Unfortunately, I can't tell you." "That'sthe mystery, is it? I thought she must be mixed up in this business by St John's reserve on certain points. Got a telegraph office in the place?"—clapniug a biscuit in his mouth, and then pulling out a note-case and pencil. "Yes, shall Morton take your telegram?" " No. Never trust open messages to servants. Don't like Morton. Never did since the day he returned my sovereign. Lawson's bankbook shows a small deposit at the bank. Not the sort of man to keep a large one. Stop any overdrawing of account,'though. When did she go?" he asked abruptly, still writing. " Yesterday evening." " Perry and Lovegrove," said he beginning another telegram. "Those are the men. Have the best counsel in the profession. Smash that confounded rascal to atoms. Leave him nob a rag to his back. Knew there must be some hocuspocus going on there. You're a queer sort of medical man not to have found it years ago. Hypnotism—never knew there was anything in it except for travelling conjurers. Who did find it oat ? Not you, I warrant." " No, I'm ashamed to say I regarded the matter in the same light as you.' lb was Mary Smith who discovered tt." "St. John's a better fellow than I thought he va«.-' "Yes. He'a like a good wine that has to go through its malady bef Ore it——" " I always said that girl had a lob in her. Why did she go away ? " " I will tell yoa as soon as yoa have done writing." " More in her than a dozen men could boast of/ J He wrote thedasb words, pocketed his note case, sprang dp, tossed off his glass of sherry all in a moment, and taking half-a---dozen biscuits from the case said: "Show mc the way to the post office, and let mc have your side of the story as briefly as you can." We walked slowly through the village, I giving him as concisely as possible such particulars with regard to Mary as St. John from delicacy or want of knowledge might have withheld, he munching biscuits and stopping-occasionally at points that interested him to face mc and scan my countenance over the top of his glasses. I had run through the history briefly when we'reached the post office ; fie went in to dispatch his telegrams, and I waited outside. While I was standing there old Robert came out from th* Ride door with his hand full of letters for the afternoon delivery. "Have you anything for mc now?" ] asked. " No, sir, nothing this afternoon. I left you three this morning, you know, sir," he added, with a grin aud a remonstratlve wag of his head. " Two, Robert—only two." "Three, sir," he replied with conviction; " two long 'uns and a square 'on." ; "No square one—only two long." . ■ "Three, sir. I give 'em to yodr man anyhow. You ask him," said he, going on his way. Fawcett had come from' the shop, and stood listening as ho quietlj munched his lastbHciiJt. ' "Well, this ia the strangest thing in the world," cried 1. " lain perfectly confident there were but two letters. Morton him self. I remember, toid tsie there were-two.' " You had got up to Lawaon's visit this morning," said Fawcett, calmly ignoring my perplexity. " Now go on." I told him of the nibttnaf-um Lawson charged mc to deliver to St. John." "Knew she mutt have a history witt that face and manner." he remarked ** but have you proved that she committed these offences with which she is charged f " No; but she tacitly admitted " " Tacit admission counts for nothing. .] ask you if yon have proved the truth ol these charges." " The murder " I began, but he pullet mc uo again. . "Killing is not murder, until the ac cused is convicted of killing with felonious intent." "Well,"said La little testily, "I'vecer tainly no proof of that ; but the evidenc< of dishonesty is, I fear, only too con elusive." " Out *with your conclusive evidence, i you please, Dr. Harvey," 3aid he. Feeling that 1 mast keep no secrets frorr him, I told him first how I had lost th< ten-pound note, and then of the loss of mj old coins, one of which Morton had founc in Mary's room. " Does it strike you as being at all auo malous," he asked, stopping mc ab th* corner of the road, and locking down bh long nose into my face, "in a>jy waj peculiar that a woman who can risk be] life and honour to save a friend, can sin* at the same time to the level of a pettifog ging pilferer?" " Mo*c remarkable I I can only accoan! for it by ascribing this blemish in hei character to a freak of nature. I hay« seen a rose of perfectly pure strain with i streakof —" "We are not disedsaing vegetables,* ■aid be, " but the serious case of a young j woman of noble character chaTged with * ! miserable'petty vice. Now answer m] questions without ambling over the fielc of natural history. To with th« j loss ot the tcn-ponnd note. When Miss Smith hadpaid the bill from the money ir i your desk what did she da wiia the key?

"Brought it back to mc immediately." " When did yea discover that the note i waagone?" "The next day." V The key did not leave your hands in the j meantime?" ' "No." < *' What sort of lock ii thera on this desk i where you keep a hundred pounds or so ? . " An ordinary lock." ' "The sorb of lock that might be picked i with a bit of beat wire—au iron skewer from the kitcheu, for instance ?" „ - ' ■'•I—l—l'can't say. I never tried. I ,< stammered, thunderstruck by the insinu- j ation conveyed in Fawcetb's suggestion. ' " Whafc did you do with the key after that?" " Gaye it to Mary, that she might take what she wanted in future." "To remove the temptation to get it dishonestly?" "Yes." He nodded, and went on a few steps in slleuce, then he said, stroking the top of his nose reflectively. " That must be awkward. How do you manage when you want something from your desk in Miss Smith's absence ?" " Well, Tve another key that fit* it— the key of my cabinet." He stopped short as he asked in a mild, persuasive tone: — " Did you ever leave that key in the door by accident. F' " I know certainly that I did so once." "13 it possible"—in the same amiable tone—" that yoa had left it In the drawer at the time when that note was taken, think yoa 2" "It—it is nob impossible. I did not think of that." He jerked his head contemptuously. " Well, go on to the next bit of conclusive evidence," said he. "What was the value of the coin Morton found ia Miss Smith's room ?" " A shilling or elghteenpence." "And the coin* that were not returned ?" "About ten or twenty pounds, perhaps ?" " Of coarse, the desk was cleared out f "Yes." " Had Morton any reason to believe that | Mian Smith would not come back ?" "I believe he had. But I must point out one thing, Fawcett. He couldn't have opened the cabinet, for I had the key ia my pocket that time." *' What of that ? It's sufficient that you left it in the door for one night or five minutes some when. Any tinker would make a key from a pattern priuted in a fiiece of soap. Now we come to the last ncident. The postman told you just now that he gave Morton three letters this morning. You say you received only two from him. Will you be kin' enough to tell mc," he asked with a ane«»r, " if you have any reason to think that Miss Smith took the third ?" " Why, I believe it came from her." "So do I; but I thought you might have the ingenuity to twist the facta about in order to exculpate your servant at the expense of a friend." " Your sarcasms are merited, bub they are not necessary, Fawcett, for my humiliation," said I, deeply grieved to think of the error I had committed. " The case is as clear as the sun at midday. You bring home a youug woman, shrewd and penetrating, whose practical management upsets the pleasant .arrangements of this precious pair of servants, and puts a stop to the systematic course of petty pilfering which has doubtless been going on for years. They take the first opportunity your negligence affords them of recouping themselves, and throwing suspicion on this young lady, whom they would be only too glad to see expelled from the house. To that end they very willingly play into the hands of Liwson, and, knowing his purpose, make a final sweep of all that is to be cleared to cast additional suspicion and discredib upon Miss Smith. Bub their game does not end there. They are still in the pay of Lawson. That is proved by the telegram sent this morning, and knowing that any Information respecting Miss Smith and her relations with yon are of value, they purloin the letter for yoa from her delivered this morning, to hand over to Lawson on the first opportunity. He may not know the value of that letter. We do; for probably it contains the address where Miss Smith is now in concealment. If she has actually committed a punishable offence — manslaughter, for instance — and that letter has been given to Lawson, she, and you too, are at his mercy, and nothing I can do may be able to-avert the mischief to follow." "Thank Heaven," I exclaimed fervently, " I have not to answer for that last mischance. Morton evidently proposed giving something to Lawson as he passed through the hall this morning, bub my presence prevented him ; and to avoid anycornmunition between them I kepb the fellow upstairs all the morning." " Yes : but he's had three-quarters of an hour to'himself since we left the hoase. Let us go back at once." We hurried home, and going into my room I rung the bell for Morton at cetb's suggestion while he was examining the door of the cabinet. He turned from it as Morton entered the room. " Want the trap, sir?" he asked, and as Fawcett nodded he added, "Do you wish mc to drive, sir V " Yes, we must take you with us," said Fawcett.advancing and quickly closing the d oor. " I will tell "yoa where we are going, <■ Mr Morton—to the police station. * I have a charge to make against you with regard to a bank note for ten pounds. What is the number of that note, Doctor ?" " D. A. 5,678," said I looking at the paper in my notebook. . "Yes, that's it, D. A. 5,878, Morton, and also respecting a certain quantity of old gold and silver coins." "If you mean to insinuate, sir, as I have taken these articles yoa will find that you have made a very great mistake," answered Morton boldly and then with all the effrontery in the world he produced a string of keys, and added—" There are my keys, Dr.- Harvey—if you wish to search mv boxes." With a quick snap Fawcett took the keys, examined them gravely, and then selecting one he went up to the cabinet and unlocked the door. "There is no necessity to search your boxes, Morton, for what is not there," said he. " It. is not likely that you would be so foolish as to keep stolen articles there. The key is all the evidence we require. Bat the charge I have made against yon is not the only one," he continued, as he slipped the keys into his pocket, "nor by any means the most serious one. You are perhaps aware that - the law is very severe with regard to acts of felony that touch the post office. Nj», this morning the postman gave you three letters to deliver to your master, one of which you have stolen. It is a square letter, addressed in a lady's hand—a band that you know very well indeed, Morton, because it is the same which ha* addressed those letters you have carried so frequently of late from Miss Smith 'to Mr Lawson." The fresh colour went from Morton's face, and a ghastly pallor took its place. For a moment he seemed as if he woaid stand on his defence, then, quailing before that unswerving eye of Fawcett'*, which maybe recalled to bis memory some past terrors of the witness box, he broke down, and turning to mc with piteous supplication in. his voice and gesture he stammered: " I didn't, know it was of value, sir. Upon my oath I didn't, sir. You've been, a good master to mc, sir; and oh ! for* -mercy's sake, don't turn again mc now. I confesses all—l won't try to hide nothing from you, sir—wo, not a thing, though I might. I did take the note, sir, and them coins and other little perkisites; and you'll find 'em all, every penny, and oar savin's and all in a box la the scullery copper flue." ■ ' " The letters-give that up first," said Fawcett. " I can't, sir; I Can't—l've give it to Mr • Lawaon." " That's false," an id I. I prevented yoa. You haven't been out of the house since he was here." "Yes, 1 have; Lord forgive mc 1 I've just been round to the Rising Sun, where 1 he told mc I should find him as he went •0at.".;.. {To be continued.)