THE SECRET FOE:

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4913, 13 May 1887, Page 4

THE SECRET FOE:

A WOMAN'S VENGEANCE,

CHAPTER XXVI. MX BEUCLEEC's CONFIDENCE—THE LONDON SURGEON. " Yes ! " cried Mr Bouclerc, the wulcome ■word bursting from him with fiery vehemence. " Yes—give the secret of Haigh s power over me to you aud your won, and let you two grind your heels into my neck instead of him ! Doubtless that would suit you well. But it would not suit mo. I'm fello-iv, Mrs Eoss, as I TOTCeiTCwHtitaL? 1800^0 ' 1 ' and not i°° ffitoL ? But —well, briefly, I decline yourfflSWHwaUi. And allow me to say that my hapless gin will he quite as well off in Haigh's hands as in Edward Dungan's. I hid you good n °And he left the pair to their rage and disappointment. Miss Ingham had been in her chamber but a little while, after htr escape from the drawing-room, when she suddenly raised herself from her bowed attitude into which she had fallen and got upon her feet. " I must see him. I must speak with him," she muttered, her eyes glittering -with something more than the tears which grief had forced to them. She went out, pussinsr Carlie with a mute si"-h ou the stairs, and when Lemuel Haigh shut the drawing-room door her white face confronted liim. " Come with me!" she said. She led the way to the library, aud held the door while he passed in. The door shut, she confronted him again on the hearth rug. She asked without preface : " When, how, where was it done .—this evil tiling he—he has done ?" "Are you seeking proofs: asked Lemuel in turn, ready to smile at being thus bluntly questioned by the little woman he had all his life despised as a poor helpless creature of no earthly account. "I am seeking information," returned Mies Ingham, "but proofs are always desirable. Have you any to offer ?" Lemuel drew out his pocket-book, and walking to the table, spread under her eye various fragments of checks. "There you have both," he said, with ill-concealed exultation. " This is the ■work of Sir Beuclerc and his confederate — work too imperfect to be of use, and therefore torn and cast aside." Miss Ingham leaned over the fragments, trembling from head to foot. Her gaze fairly devoured the mutilated words. "His confederate?" she presently said, in smothered tones. " One Larrington. A fellow-gambler who led him on to the crime, and, after it •was committed, stole the money, and from that hour to this has never been heard of. A gasping breath burst from Miss Ingham. Tne next moment she had sweptthe fragments together with lightning quickness, crushed them into one hand and made for the door. "Hah! Is that your gamer cried Lemuel, springing tigerishly for the hand stretched out of his reach. The words were scarcely uttered, when the bits were torn roughly from her grasp and instantly crushed back into his pocketbook. '' And what good would that have done f ho sneered, fiercely, contemptuously, as she leaned, white and trembling, against the fireplace. "None! None!" she whispered, shaking her head. Then, with a sudden burst of vanquished entreaty, she cried, moaningly : "Oh, Lemuel, be a man ! Be merciful! Eβ-" ■ m, " Give up Carlie, you mean r "Yes. And keep forever this terrible secret yon hold over Mr Beuclerc." " I'll be a galley-slave first." Miss Ingham stood mute before the fierce, hissing rejoinder. Ho went on, hiseyesblazmgmalevolently, triumphantly, into hers : " Will I yield the man I have with such infinite labor netted ? Will I yield the girl who has been the lode-star of my existenco from her childhood—the girl for whom I have raised inysolf to what I am, and for whom I hold her wretched father in leash ? Never !" Fairly trembling as he flung out that final word, he turned on his heel, and then, as quickly turning about again, said, sharply: " One week from to-night Carlie becomes my bride. And let me say that you will do well to treat me with- a little more respect, Miss Ingham. If not, I'll separate you as completely as if she were dead." The virulent threat was lost to Miss Ingham in the overwhelming terror inspired by his first words. She tottered to him with outstretched, hands and vainly-moving lips. "There's no use in trying to speak," ho said. " Carlie lias promised, and I swear it shall be so."

He shut the door in her face, and meeting Mr Bouclerc as the latter came out of the drawing-room' said, harshly: " Miss Ingham has your secret; but you can rest oasy bo far as she is concerned. I am the one for you to fear." He passed on, and his victim stood like a stone till roused by the sound of Miss Ingham leaving the library. As she feebly ascended the stairs, ho dashed across the hall and into his sittingroom. At the head of tho stairs a loving arm was put about Miss Ingham. "Oh, my darling," whispered Carlie, with streaming eyes, " you have been pleading with that monster. Why did you condescend ? Let him do his will. Ho has a heart aud heel of iron that no prayers can ever change: that heel I have made the terrible choice, but I shall abide by it with dignity. I only grieve, dear Cousin Milly, that you have been tortured before tho time. I meant to spare you till the last moment." They were at Miss Ingham's door now. "Go, dear, go !" said Miss Ingham, in muffled tones, kissing the gill's brow with cold, tremW'.ng lips. "I want no one. I commit you to Heaven !"' The next morning Miss Ingham's bell rang at an early hour, and one of tho servants was directly after sent off for Doctor Benners. Caxlie and Mrs Ross wore in the sickroom promptly upon hearing the news ; but, although the sufferer looked more like a dead woman than a living one, "as she reclined in her easy-chair, she wanted nothing but to be left to herself and see Doctor Benners as soon as possible. " Have you much pain, Cousin Milly i" asked Mrs Ross, sweetly, axious. There was a moment's hesitation, and then Miss Ingham nodded, with quivering lips: " Much ! —very much !" "Where?" asked Mrs Ross, struck by her manner. There was another moment of hesitation, and Miss Ingham mutely laid her hand on her breast. Mrs Ross paled, recoiled a little, and then recovering herself, made her adieux with proper feeling and escaped. Dungan, loitering uneasily about tho hall, met her, asking, quietly, as ho noted her unusual pallor: "Is she so bad? Curse it! we don't want the complication of illness and doctors and nurses !" " She has a cancer!" "A cancer!" ' ... "Of the breast," nodded Mrs Eoss, growing paler and paler under the intense horror she had of the disease. " I knew it with her first hesitating reply to a natural question. She has, too, the blanched appearance peculiar to that scourge, jmd also the morbid desire for aecreey. Ugh ! Let me forget it if I can ! Hush!"—as Carlie came from the sick room. " It is my own conviction; Milly did not say so." ■ Dr. Benners arrived in tho course of a couple of hours, and taken to the patient by Carlie; Mrs Ross gladly availing herself of the lady's wish for quiet. But to Carlie's surprise and sickening anxiety, Miss Inghain dismissec l her the instant the doctor entered, saying, gently: " I must see Dr. Benners alone, dearest." " Very poorly, I perceive," remarked the doctor, cheerfully, helping himself to a. chair as Carlie retired. Ho began and ended his examination, Miss Ingham making briefest an&wers to his varied questionss as it proceeded. He leaned back in his chair, lookin" at her over the top of his spectacles. "Ican do nothing for you," he said, bluntly. ... \ The sick woman started. "You say. that?" she exclaimed, tremulous with eniotion. "Emphatically?" " Th'en.~then," leaning toward him, "you will bring a professional man from liOndon?". « Certainly, if you expense!" ... ...... . t" .

Miss Ingham lifted her shaking hand warningly. "Speaklow; some ono may—may hear —may be loitering about." The doctor spoke in no way—simply stared at her in critical attention. "Expenseis of no account," she went on, lowering her own voice. "I know what is tho matter with me better than you do, and I want tho man at once—to-day ! And I know what man—Who ?' She looked round, opened her lips again, and then got upon her feet, and, going into the next room, looked round there, and then cautiously into the hall. "No ono about," she said, tottering back, " I can tell you in safety what is the matter, and whom I must see ! It is—'' The doctor started violently at the whispered name, and, as she presently ceased speaking, cried out with pained, startled vehemence : " It can't be !" " Alas !it is true !" faltered Miss Ingham, pressing both hands against her breast. " Will you do it f" "Immediately ! I have yet time," consulting his watch, "to pass my patients over to Mr Barnes and catch the next train. I will come back by return train, if possible ; but do not expect me till evening." Mrs Ross stood waiting for him at the door of tho small drawing-room, through the window of which she had not long before looked upon him and Miss Ingham. "Is it serious, Doctor?" she asked, her voice trembling under her nervous horror of the disease.

"So serious, madam, I grieve to say, that lam going to bring a man down from London immediately."

A hand clutched his arm. "Will she—oh, will she die, Doctor?" gasped Carlio's anguished voice. Tho doctor turned and looked down at her with misty eves. " My dear," he said, " I—l—hopo not— I think not." He released himself hurriedly and ran from the house. Mrs Ross caught the girl's arm as she started to go up stairs. '.'Don't worry her," she said, with an accent of genuine pity. "It —I may as well tell you tho truth ; 'tis kindest to do so—it is a cancer ! I know the symptoms ! My own mother," shuddi-ring involuntarily, " died of one." " I am glad to know the truth," gasped the girl, after a moment. " Thank you !" But all the self-control -with -which the girl entered the invalid's chamber gave way at sight of the poor, pale face. _ / falio j-Lx-ji I" !p.1..i1'.-!-~»«».«oo ) -i'trcsvuig the dear hands wildly to her lips and heart. "Don't die! Don't die nijrt leave me, Cousin Milly !" she sobbed. " For my sake battle for your life ! A strong will does so much for the sick." " Oh, this is more than I can bear ! suddeniy burst out Miss Ingham, with tears. "My child! Heaven permitting, I will live*! I expect to live !" Frightened at tho effect of her imprudpnt agitation, Carlie controlled herself during tho remainder of the day. It was one of bitter suspense to Miss Ingham, as tho girl could see. But it ended, Doctor Bonners i and the stranger arriving by an early evening tram. In accordance with Miss Ingham's direction, theyproceeiled at once to the sick-room. Carlie was hastily introduced at the foot of tho stairs, and saw that" Mr Blacksley " was a large, clean - shaven, spectacled, middle-aged man of pleasing countenance and address.

He won Miss Ingham's confidence at a glance. But for a little she found it impossible to speak. " Control yoiir agitation, madan," said Mr Blacksley, in low, gentle tones, as he took the chair Doctor Benners had placed for him beside her. " Your physician has told me little : but I trust the matter may Xn-ove loss serious than you imagine." " Sir," cried Miss Ingham, passionately, " it is terrible ! I am about to take the fate of a gulity man and innocent girl into my hands, but it must be done. Though Mr Beuclerc suffer the worst—though his daughter be sent to her grave through that -worst —I cannot stand by and see her sacrificed without a struggle to save her. Look at these, then, and tell me what can be done. You are a man of wide experience—a detective, it is said, who never fails!"

She spread tremblingly vtpon her lap three pieces of crumpled paper. They were fragments of the rejected cheques which Lemuel Haigh had so exvltingly displayed the previous night. [to be continued."!