FOR LOVE & FORTUNE: A ROMANCE OF LEEDS.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXX, Issue 1513, 10 May 1898, Page 2

FOR LOVE & FORTUNE: A ROMANCE OF LEEDS.

By Stephen Somerset, Author of “ The Earlsford Mystery,” “The Tragedy in Milton Buildings/ “The Mystery of Eversfield Grange," &c., &c.

i Chapter £i£. ruined. f On the eventful night of Everard Rivera untimely death, Mr, Lynwood returned, as usual from his works to his home at Chapeltown to dinner. The house, which was spacious, well, furnished, and surrounded by extensive pleasure-grounds, had always been a source of great pride to its self-made proprietor. Many an important question in local politics bad been settled in the large dining-room, from which Lynwood now stepped out on to the terrace that ran along the front of the house. It was a pleasant, peaceful scene that met his view as he gazed across the well-kept lawn to the plantation bathed in mellow light of the Saardvest moon, or, nearer at hand,surveyed <slo beds of roses whose fragrance lent a i#harm to the soft night air, and whose rich ■colouring harmonised well with the sombre b.ue of the stone balcony—a relic of an older house which once stood on the spot. But the time was long past in which the comfort and luxury around him could give Lynwood any satisfaction. Ordinarily he despised presentiments as “ superstitious notions,” but to-night he felt deeply and unaccountably depressed. Yet all had gone well during the day. There was talk of a revival in his branch of trade, and two large orders had already come in. He had met Everard Rivers at a restaurant at luncheon, and had sounded the latter as to a speedy and substantial loan. Everard, though not usually ready to part with money, had been in a jovial mood, and consented to better terras than Lynwood had even hoped for. As to Reginald, he was dying slowly but surely, and though Lynwood’s nature was not a cruel one, he felt that here again fortune favoured him. “ It seems like enough that all will end well, as Mary has always said it would,” he thought as he solaced himself with a last '■agar before going to bed. “Reginald) poor lad, won’t give much more trouble in this world, and Viola Wilfer is devoted tc my sister, it seems, so we may have ar "additional influence over Everard througl: 4er. Yes, all appears smooth enougl: before me now and yet .” The rest of Lynwood’s reverie was toe incoherent for reproduction. A vague, shadowy misgiving hung over him to-night, like an uneasy dream rather than a tangible &r. In spite of havingcares enough of his own •%> engross his mind, a scene in his youth Jkept recurring to him also, with an almost maddening persistence. He remembered, as a poor and unknown workman, standing at the lodge gate to watch the home' earning of the young heir to the Grange Miat had once stood on the site of his owr jause. He heard again the cheering and congratulations, and saw again the lad’s 'fcndsomo, smiling face. Twenty years later Lynwood served or -She coroner’s jury which investigated thal man’s untimely death. Ruined by extravagance, he had forged a friend’s name, and then, mad with the fear of exposure, had taken his own life. The Grange, left in the hands of care takers, was soon afterwards partially lestroyed by fire, and Lynwood, with what «ien had begun to call his usual luck, bought the site cheaply, and built himseli the beautiful home of which he had been sc proud. Its sad associations had nevei troubled him until this moment, when he reflected on the resemblance between the »reer of the last proprietor and his own. “ Can my sin go unpunished any more Jfcan his?” he asked himself uneasily. As he thought thus a large bat flew ovei jfcis head and passed through the open win sk»w into the dining-room. It was presently followed by another, and yet i ird. “I’ve rarely seen bats come about th< Clace like that; and the country folk say ii »odes ill-luck to a house when the bati flock to it,” thought Lynwood, uneasily. He descended the terrace steps am strolled into the garden,for of late astrang* restlessness had come over him that wai far different from his former sober anc orderly activity. Wherever he was now he wished himself elsewhere ; at his work; £c went aimlessly from one department t< pother, and, when at home, he frequently pandered about the garden till after mid flight* Lynwood had scarcely reached the plan tation when he saw Thompson, the servant ■who was in attendance on his sister ir Spark % square, approaching him. “Is Reginald dead already?” he won dered, and the blood surged bo his brain, as all kinds of exciting possibilities occur' red to him. “ What has happened, Thompson ?” “Ah, sir, I was looking for you. Thf jnosb dreadful thing that ever you car imagine, sir,” returned the servant, who though he really liked his master, coulc nob resist temptation to dilate on tin tragedy. “ Bub what? For Heaven’s sake tell me plan, quick 1” “ Mr. Everard is dead, sir.”

then leave England for good. My brother’s ruin and mine will be known very soon, since he is incapable of managing his affairs, and I have no desire to receive the condolence of the women whowere formerly my unsuccessful rivals. Even if there were no danger for mo regarding Everard’s death, I would nob stay hero now. However, lam noc old yet, and the world is wide. Who knows bub that in America 1 may begin my career afresh ?”

Chapter si, DETECTED. “ Uncle, I must stay all day with Reginald,” observed Viola next morning, when a messenger brought the news of the double disaster to the Wilfers’ lodgings. “ Poor Mrs. Rivers is almost worn out already by her devotion to Reginald, and she will now have to give up her time to her brother.” “ Yes—l suppose so,” answered Mr, Wilfor, abstractedly. “I think I had better offer my services too, us there will be much to be done in regard to poor Everard’s death.” “Ah yes—the funeral of course.” “And before that—the post-mortem “Will there be one? Is tiiere any doubt about the cause of Everard’s death ? ” “ Yes, Viola. A very grave doubt.” “ Why uncle, what can you mean, and how do you know more than what Thompson has just told us ? He hinted nothing of any mystery ? ” “Because he knew nothing. Viola, my darling, you have suffered so much of.late that I was unwilling to disturb your rest, bub I learnt everything in regard to Everard’s death before three this morning.” “ Young Taylor, Dr. Burdock’s assistant, came to me ab that hour, and told me something terrible. Everard did nob die in a fit as Taylor ab first supposed. He was poisoned by something which he drank in Mrs. Rivers’ room. “ Meiciful Heaven 1 Bub she did nob give him the poison, surely.” “ No, I do nob think so, bub Taylor has found out more than this. Viola, nay child, in the midst of all this gloom there is a ray of hope for you ” “ What can you mean ?” “ Reginald is not dying from exhaustion following on the injuries he received in the collision. Taylor has never understood the symptoms which have developed lately, and he and Burdock have often discussed them, though they dare nob express their misgiving without more certain proof. Now Taylor has little doubt that his patient has been slowly poisoned by small doses of the drug which killed Everard 1” “ Great Heaven I I must go to Reginald at once. Bub who has done it? No one hasanyinteresbin Reginald’s death nowh© is poor. ” “ Viola, you are not really attached to' Mrs. Rivers, are you ?” “No, I merely feel grateful to her for the care she has taken of Reginald—bub surely you cannot mean bo say that there is any reason to suspect her, uncle ?” “ There is more than a suspicion against her, but wait, Viola,” he added, as Viola hastily lose bo go. “ Every precaution has already been taken. As it chanced, Reginald was awake and conscious when Everard entered the adjoining room, evidently halfintoxicated. Reginald had heard Mrs. Rivers mixing something in a glass just before, and, from what was said, Everard evidently drank the contents of the glass, supposing it to bo spirits. Mrs. Rivers uttered a low ejaculation of horror as he did so. He then had the seizure of which you have heard, and as he fell he exclaimed, ‘ What have I taken? I am poisoned !’ Reginald tried to reach a hand-bell in order to raise an alarm and fainted from excitement. When Everard was at the point of death, Taylor heard him utter an unfinished sentence, “ Save Reginald from ’. What conclusion do all these things point bo, Viola ?” *• Only one, I fear, but how horrible to think Reginald has been sacrificed to the devices of this wicked woman. Can we not save him yet, uncle?” “ Whatever skill can do is being done, now, my dear. Taylor warned the nurse before he left the house, so that nothing Reginald takes will ever be touched again by Mrs. Rivers. She will be arrested if the truth comes out ab the inquest, as it probably will do, but we wish to delay the catastrophe as long as possible for fear of the effect the excitement might have on Reginald. He is so anxious to spare the family name, that he would fain let her escape.” “ Now let me go to Reginald, and I won’t leave him again,” said Viola, and to this Mr. Wilfer did nob demur. She found herself ably seconded in her efforts for Reginald by Dr. Burdock, Mr. Taylor, and the nurse, who were horrified to think how nearly a cold-blooded crime had been perpetrated under their eyes, Viola naturally longed to to Reginald of new hope which had arisen that he might yet be saved, but she was met on the threshold of the sick-reom by Dr. Burdock, who had anticipated this. “ You want to talk to Mr. Rivers ?" he asked. “ I do,” admitted Viola, blushing. “Then, my dear young lady, I must forbid you to enter this room unless you promise to be silent.” “I will do whatever you think necessary,” said Viola, bitterly disappointed. “ This is necessary. We shall have a terrible struggle to save Mr. Rivers these next few days, and he must remain absolutely passive. The affair of last night has already agitated him greatly, and any further excitement just now would end his life at once.” “ 1 will do anything—everything you tell me, but you really do think there is some hope of saving Reginald still, do you nob ?’ “ Certainly. I believe the thing has just been stopped in time; but there is eotqe-: thing else I must speak to you about, Miss i Wilier. We do not, of course, wish pro- . ceedings to be taken against. Mrs. Rivers until we are absolutely certain that our suspicions are correct, therefore, if you meet her, try nob to show your feelings towards her.” Viola promised to do her best, though the request was a hard one for a girl of her frank disposition to fulfil. Happily, Mrs. Rivers had no desire to see anyone, and voluntarily resigning her post at Reginald’s side, on the plea of attending her brother, she set out to Chapel town early in the morning. Ostensibly she nursed him, but in reality she spent the long hours of that fatal day i in wandering up and down the sick-room, thinking and planning for her own future. Sho felt that nothing could now save her , brother from ruin, since the state of his ■ affairs would inevitably be disclosed shortly, i and with characteristic resolution, she ab i once dismissed all thought of him and his concerns from her mind. , “ Is anything suspected ?” she asked heri self continually, and she could not answer > the question. : Everyone at the house in Park-square treated her as usual, and Mr. Wilfer ; whom she hud seen for a moment in the [ morning had given no sign of suspicion. 1 Yet she could nob forget Taylor’s glance . when he quitted Reginald’s room on the : fatal night. i “ When I go back this evening L shall i hear if there ia to be a post-awnem i

“Everard ! Impossible! How?” “ We hardly know, sir. He was took awful sudden with a fit, or something of the kind, and fell down at my mistress’s feet, and writhed that bad it was dreadful lo see him, sir, and we put him on a eofa, and sent for a doctor and clergyman, and lie died in less than half an hour. But, lor’, what’s the matter, sir ?” Whilst the mar, had been absorbed in making the most of his harrowing tale, an odd change had come over Lynwood’s features. They were suddenly distorted by a kind of grin, which gave a ghastly expression to his face. He seemed to have lost all power, too, on his loft side: he leaned against a fence for an instant, then gradually collapsed and fell down in a heap. Whatever ails you, sir ?” repeated the man, straggling vainly to raise his master. Mr. Lynwood was unable to give any reply. He rambled on incoherently about loans, mortgages, debts, and creditors, to the intense dismay of the servant, who at length realised that hia master was Seriously ill. Mr. Lynwood was conveyed to the house, f.nd presently Mrs. Rivers, as she sought a ow moments’ rest to enable her to face the ordeal before her, was aroused to bear of fresh disaster. “Tom basfailed me at the critical moment is worse than useless in fact—-therefore I must thinkandactformyself, withoutregard for him,” she summed up, when she had grasped the situation. “ If I see no sign of suspicion 1 will stay in Leeds a few days longer, to realise everything I have, and

suppose, and that shall decide tny course,” she concluded ab length. “If there is to be one, I leave Leeds to-night, and, thanks to the bold project I have formed, no one here will ever be likely to see me again.” ( To be continued.)