THE SECRET FOE: OR, A WOMAN'S VENGEANCE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4897, 25 April 1887, Page 4

THE SECRET FOE: OR, A WOMAN'S VENGEANCE.

CHAPTER XVIII. A SHOCK TO ALL. Edward Dungan looked at Carlie, and arrested the retiring footman with sharp peremptoriness. " Is it Haigh ?" he called. "Yes, sir, and a strange gentleman." " A strange gentleman ! What devil's work is he pushing now ?" Dungnn muttered tho words hissingly between bis teeth, us he motioned the hesitating servant to go, and then looked again at Carlie's white face. He took the cards almost roughly from her nerveless hand.

His own face went white as he read the stranger's name. "Who is this stranger ?—this Anson Beuclerc?" h< asked, nearly inaudibly. " What is he to you ?" " He is—my father !" Dungan fell back before the smothered reply, the last trace of color leaving his face. "Your—father!"

The girl neither heard him nor noticed him.

With a gasping breath, she turned and crossed the room.

Both Miss Ingham and Mrs Ross had risen at the footman's reply. As forgetful of the startled, _ watchful widow as if tho latter had not existed, she seized Miss Ingham's trembling hand. " You must go with me," she faltered. 41 1 cannot, should not, go alone." " Yes, dear ! yes ! " murmured Miss Ingham, feebly. And, impelled by tho girl's cold, clinging fingers, she dazedly left the library at her side.

" Checkmated ! " hissed Dungan, as the door closed, striding to and fro in an uncontrollable passion. '' Checkmated by this blackguard ! —this infamous traitor— this infernal upstart—" " Silence ! Control yourself ! What is it ? Who is the stranger?" interposed Mrs Ross with the stern, compelling forco of mental superiority. Dungan told her, with an oath that echoed, from one end of the library to the other.

The widow's pale features turned to a strange blue-white. As Dungan fiercely opened his lips again she said, hoarsely : " I see ! We shall be robbed of the last farthing !" "And I see something, too, I shall bo robbed of, Carlie —of my bride —of the sweetest and fairest and queenliest creature that ever drew the breath of life !"

Mrs Ross suddenly checked him again, pointing imperiously to the door. "Go !" she aspirated, with a touch of his own fierce passion. " Control yourself, and go! She is your ward. You havo a right there—a duty there. I will not make myself offensive by intruding, but my eyes and ears you may depend upon." She went with him to the hall and stood watching. The drawing-room door was wide open. On tho threshold _tood Miss Ingham and Carlie. Beyond it, under the full blaze of the chandelier, stood Anson Beuclerc.

Midway to the drawing-room Dungan stopped, gazed aii instaut with suspended breath, and then, turning sharply, beckoned Mrs Ross to his side.

" See there! Look at that face !" ho hissed close to her cheek. " Did you—ever see it before?"

Mrs Ross looked, clutched his arm, and silently drew him back into the library. There, the door closed, she raised her eyes to his. "It—is—so !" she gasped, slowly. " I never thought of that. Did you ?" "Never!"—an impious oath added to the negative—'' Never !" As Miss Ingham and Carlie approached the drawing-room the temporary vacuum of the former's mind was visited by a gleam of sense.

She stopped the girl, whispering hurriedly : "My dearest, the likeness must be the test, must decido whether or not we are victims of Lemuel Haigh's craft. Should there be no likeness between you and this stranger, there shall be no recognition of his pretentions. Your papa's letter has settled that."

Carlie turned her anguished eyes gratefully upon her for an instant, and then, walking calmly to the door, threw it open. But with her first step across the threshold her feet rooted themselves immovably to tho floor.

To epeak, to stir, to do aught but gaze dumbly at that handsome face confronting her beiieath the flaming chandelier was impossible. She had expected to see a man who might or might not be her father. But this I —no, she had never expected to see this!

Mibs Ingham, breaking the dread oppressive silence, breathed tremulously : " Great heavens ! my child !"

CHAPTES XIX. HAIGH'S COMMAND AND FINAL VOW. One was, indeed, " the living image of the other " —the beautiful young face, like a peri's, in the doorway; and tho older face, intent, troubled, deprecating, beneath the flaming chandelier. There were the same large, lustrous, expressive, long-lashed grey eyes ; the same beautiful oval face, delicate skin and features.

The chestnut-brown hair of one had grown grey, and the features were unmistakably lined by dissipation ; but no one in his or her senses would have thought of disputing the stranger's claim. Caalie Beauclerc saw tho likeness with a sort of shocked astonishment—a weird feeling of seeing herself in a different form.

Miss Ingham saw it, blankly amazed. - Mrs Ross and her son retired before it with a maddened sense of utter defeat.

The stranger himself saw it, and with cmotiou.

A quick tremor ran through his rather short but finely symmetrical form, and stirred the iron-grey mustache that covered his lips.

His pleasant voice trembled, too, as, with a sudden movement, he reached tbe girl and caught her hands, saying, pathetically:

"My child, forgive me for bringing my wretched self into your pure young life." " Forgive you ! O, my father !" The tone, with the gaze he met, pierced tho world-worn man to his inmost soul.

The next moment, as the girl's loving arms were suddenly cast about him, ho dropped his head to hers with a loud, choking sob.

Miss Ingham started in tears from her trance, and, after gently closing the door, moved quickly away, and, for the first time noticed the forgotten lawyer's clerk. She was beckoning him from tho room with a certain secret invitation, when his eyes all at once blazed up, and turned from her to Mr Beuclerc and Carlie.

In a second lie had joined them. "A letter '" he cried, eagerly addressing Carlie. " A letter and the marriage certifiOtte of your parents. Thank Heavon ! I feared you would find nothing. Mr Beuclerc," turning to the latter, " allow me to congratulate you. This corroborative evidence in your favor is gratifyinir beyond measure. You must feel it so."

"The resemblance between Miss Beuclerc and myself is the best of evidence," returned Mr Beuclerc, adding, with emotion : "It was this hapless resemblance, deir, that led to Haigh's discovery of our lolationship, and my consequent, presence here this evening ; for how could I resist Ihe forces that drew me to you ? And yet I say hapless. What, poor child, can a worn-out man of the world, such as I, be to a fair young creature liko you ?'' Miss Ingham answered, going precipitately to him, as the door opened and admitted Dungan. "You can be a father to her, Mr Beuclerc !" she cried, hurriedly, in passionate entreaty; "for no one who looks in your face can question your parental rights."

" So long as they do not infringe upon mine as guardian !" supplemented Dungan, striding up with suppressed rage and courteous demeanor. Then, the necessary eivilites disposed of, ho added, suavely: "By the terms of my lato uncle's will, Miss Beuclerc's home is under my roof till the period of her majority, and she counot be removed even by a parent, Mr Beuclerc"

"_ Aud his home, also !" breathed Lemuel Haigh, rapidly, at his elbow, unnoticed by the others. " Invite him ! I am master, remember I"

" Consequently," pursued Dungan, with a ghastly smile, " my wurd's home must bo yours, Mr Beuclerc. Not a word ! Never, so far as I can help it, shall you be separated fim your child. I will give the necessary

orders at once, and also, if you will excuse me a moment, bring my step-mother to welcome you to Ross-Laurel." Ho turned quickly, hiding his whitening features, and darting a glance of murderous rage upon Lemncl as he passed out of the room. Beyond the closing door ho confronted the marble-like face and burning, questioning eyes of Mrs Ross. "Do you want to tempt mo to murder him, tooP' she whispered, fiercely, drawing him away from the door. "Has idiocy overtaken you that you invite bun to live here?' He hissed out a frightful oath. "Hah!" she cried. "Is this Haigh's work?" " The demon—yes !" " Itishis last!" "His last?" " Listen ! I go now to order a suitable repast for our guest, after which I'll accompany yon to the drawing-room. I'll make much of the unwelcome parent, and as much of Lemuel Haigh, whom I have not seen— ha, ha ! —since h» was our stable-boy. The repast shall be served. Lemuel Haigh's rise in tho world shall be flatteringly acknowledged. He shall sit at his old master's table for the first time, and—the last !" The awful blaze in her eyes was caught by Dungan's. She answered his question thus silently put. "How:- I'll drug his coffee. He will trouble us no more after this night. Tho pretty serpent that frightened Nancy Haigh, shall, with its hidden flask, do better, more deadly work than ever her weak brain could fancy." Neither had noticed tho gentle opening and closinsr of the drawing-room door as they moved on to the library. But Lemuel was close behind them. He now said, with an odd, suppressed hiss in his voice : "It is my humble opinion that Lemuel Haigh will trouble you more, my good lady." tic met tho fierce, defiant blaze of the eyes flashing round upon bun coolly, steadily. With folded arms he went on : " Yes, I shall certainly trouble you more, mv friends. The great stake for which I first played was the dream of my lifesweet Carlie Bcuclerc. Now, since you propose to rob me of my life, I will rob you of—Ross-Laukel ; I mean to have my bride and the estate, too !" He gave them no time to reply, walking quietly across the hall, and taking his coat and hat from the rack. But, his hat on his head, he turned, struck by a sudden thought. Going half-way back, he spoke two low, sigrificaut words to Dungan, and then went coolly off. The house door shut him out. " Fool ?" aspirated Mrs Ross, a deadly calm in her voice, and a deadly fire in her eye—" Fool !As if there were not more ways than one ! Wo shall sec !" [to be continued, j