THE NOVELIST. THE MYSTERY OF THE INN by the SHORE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 7738, 18 April 1896, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE NOVELIST. THE MYSTERY OF THE INN by the SHORE.

BY FLORENCE WARDEN,

CHAPTER XVII.

As soon as Nell and her ancle returned to the Blue Lion, they were met by the nurse who was attending Clifford. She said her patient was so anxious to see Miss Claris that she had been obliged reluctantly to give him permission to do so, fearing' that he would worry himself into a ferer if she refused. But, much, to the nurse's surprise, ITell was even more reluctant to see him than she berselE had been to give her permission to do so. It needed half a dozer* earnest messages to persuade her to -go to the sick man's room. ClifEord, who was lying in the little sitting-room, which had been given up to kirn, gave a long sigh of relief when he saw Nell. She was very pale, and the expression of her face was full of asdness and- terror. ' Sit down here; Nell, beside me,' said he, in a weak voice, ' and tell me you look like that. lam not going to die. Is that what you are afraid of, dear ?' Nell shook her head and tried to smile as she took his hand, but no articulate word. Then, meeting his loving eyes, she broke down and burst in'io a passion of tears. CliSord did just the very best thing possible in the cir•oumstaaces :he let her cry. Without a word, he sought and found her second hand, placed it with the other in his ' own left hand, while with his right he gentle caressed her golden head. So she cried bitterly for a time, and then less bitterly, until, the pressure of ler acute misery relieved, she suddenly sprang back, snatched her hands away, and dried her eyes. 'Now, Nell, do you feel better?' asked Clifford, as a faint smile began to hover on the girl's face. c Yes,ldo, much better,' answered she, in a more self-posse3sed tone. * Now I can tell you something. My uncle thinks I—l—did it.' 'Shot Jem Stickels? , < Yes.' ' Well, what on earth is he to think ? It is just what I should have thought myself, if—' 4 If what ?' 'If I hadn't happened to be in love with you.' Nell stared. ' You don't mean that, really ?' ' Yes, but I do, though. Look here: I got the nurse to pay someone to go to the inquest and report to me. He did, when the jury adjourned for luncheon. And now. I've just heard of your evidence and the verdict, and I don't see how anybody, except me, could fail to suspect you. Yes you. .

Nell, who had been very white, grew crimson as she looked at him. ' You mean—that you suspect me, } too ? You think me capable of—' ' Ho, child, of course not. But I think you gave your evidence very i badly, and that you, therefore, can't ex- , pect to be pitied. Now tell me why ■. ' ybu didn't want to see me ?' Nell silently hung her head. _ ' ' Was it because you didn't care if I you never saw me again ?' Up went the face, radiant with pas- ' sionate denial. . ' Well, was it because you knew-1 should ask you some questions ?' Down went the face again. ' ' What was it you wanted to see me ' about when you sent for me ta come ' down from town to see you ?' She looked up at him, with a face ! full of terror. 'Ah, that's it?' she whispered hurriedly. ' That is why I didn't want to gee you. I knew you would want to know that. And now—l cannot tell you! , 'Why not?' ' Yesterday,' went on Nell, her voice ""getting lower, ' I was going to ask your advice ; for it was only a case of theft. To-day I dare not, for it is now a question of—murder !' 4 You know something, Nell!' 'I don't. I wish I did. But—l suspect. And I dare not whisper my suspicion even to you until I have felt my way to a little more knowledge. Now will you be content with that, and not want to make me speak when I would rather be silent ?' Clifford hesitated. ' Wouldn't you trust me to be silent, too?' , , Nell began to look perplexed and miserable, drawn this way and that by conflicting feelings of love and duty. Clifford saw how keen the struggle was,'and, like a generous fellow', cut it short for her. ' All right, Nell, you shall keep your secret. Only mind this : I must be the first to know it.' Will you promise me that ?' < Yes—oh, yes ; and I thank you with all my heart. . The weight of care sprang up from oil' fclie girl's heart at one bound. The enfciro trust which Clifford showed her was just the balm her wounded soul needed ; and the hour the nurse allowed her to spend by her lover's bedside, although it was passed almost in silence after this explanation, was one of happiness and relief so deep that she went out to face the world and her uncle's suspicion with fresh courage. Clifford's wound had proved more serious thau was at first psuposed. There was a risk of inflammation, and the doctors ordered that he was to be kept very quiet. When, therefore, that same evening, Hemming called at the inn and asked to sue Mr King, he would have been denied altogether if Clifford himself had not heard the en- '■' quiry, and recognizing the voice, insisted on seeing the detective. ' Well, and what do you want with

? lac ?' asked Clifford, with interest, as Hemming was shown into his room. ' Well, sir, I hear you've seen Miss Claris since the inquest, , was the detective's rather abrupt opening. 5 Yes. Well ?' ' Well, sir, things look about as black for her as they well can. And he gave the young man a shrewd look as he pronounced this statement. Clifford said nothing, and Hemming went on : ' Knowing how you were—were a friend of the young lady, sir, I thought it only right that you should know as I am downright certain who was at the bottom both or' the murder and the robbery ; and I'm only waiting to make the chain of proof a little stronger before making an arrest.' ' Of whom V '1 leave you to guess, sir. I may tell you I've found the pistol'—Clifford started—' and the bullet fits it exactly ?' ' Do you want to put any more questions to Miss Claris ?' asked Clifford iniperturbably. ' Well, the young lady seemed so unwilling— But, of course, if you - think she wouldn't mind— After all, it's only a rehearsal like, and I dare say she knows that.' Now these words, taken with the tone in which they were spoken, were strong tests of the lover's trust. But Clifford did not flinch. He told Hemming to call to the nurae, who was waiting outside the door, and at once sent a message to Nell to ask her to come in and see him. ' And don't tell her,' he went on, with a defiant glance at the detective, ' who it is that wishes to see her.' When Nell came in, therefore, she was taken by surprise. It worried Clifford to note that she turned very white and began to tremble violently when she found who it was that wanted to speak to her. Hemming came to the point at once. 4 Do you remember, Miss,' said he, in a very differential tone, • Colonel Bostal's taking down an old pistol from a nail in the wall of his house, about a week ago, and showing it to you and some other ladies V Yes, Nell remembered. She threw a frightened glance at Clifford as she made this admission. ' Can you tell me who the ladies were ?' ' Mrs Lansdowne and her daughter and Miss Thedora, and—and—l!' 'The Colonel fired it off, did he not?' < Yes.' ' And wanted you ladies to do the same ?' 'Yes.' ' And did you do so ? Please tell me what happened.' 'They were all afraid to touch it.' ' All !' ' All, except—except me.' Trembling from head to foot, Nell cast an imploring glance at her lover. 'You fired it off two or three times, I believe, Miss ? And you hit a mark that you fired at ?' The girl answered almost in a shriek of terror. ' I did not hit it ! Who says that I hit it ?' Clifford started up, leaning on his arm. In an instant Nell recovered enough of her self-possession to lie down again. But her voice shook. Hemming spoke in a very gentle and apologetic tone as he went on. with his interrogatory : ' Is this the pistol you U3ed, Miss ?' He produced from one of his pockets the old cavalry pistol which he had brought from Shingle End. ' Yes,' replied Nell, not heeding Clifford's attempts to bring the examination to an end, ' that is the one.' 'Do you remember what happened when you had all seen it, and it was done with ?' ' Yes. The colonel reloaded it—' She stopped short and looked down. ' You are sure that he reloaded it ?' ' Yes. Hβ reloaded, and hung it upon the nail again.' ' Have you ever touched the pistol since ?* ' No, no!' ' Has any one else, to your knowledge, touched it since ?' 1 'No.' ' What is all this to lead to ?' asked Clifford, impatiently. ' Well, I can't tell you yet, sir. But the colonel says—and the young lady and Miss Bostal all say the same—• that he put the pistol back on the nail, loaded, a week ago ; and when I took it down from its nail to-night, it had been discharged. That's all at present, sir.' For one minute Hemming waited, expecting to have something said to him by Clifford King or Nell. As they remained silent, he took his leave, with more apologies for his intrusion. The lovers looked at each other. ' Nell,' asked Clifford, in a whisper, when they had been alone and silent for some moments, 'is it true that you fired it off ?' ' Quite true. Now do you doubt me, too?' - No. I swear I don't. But, Nell, my darling, I begin to tremble for you, all the same.' Tho young man's voice shook. Nell gazed into his face, in an agony of horror. * ' If I knew anything, I jwould tell it whatever happened,' she cried, suddenly. 'It is not fair that I should have to suffer like this !' Now this speech was perplexing to her listener, but she would give no explanation of it. She only told him that sho wanted time to think, to consider. And on the following morning, soon

after breakfast, ahe called the nu out of the room to ask If she could in and say good-by to Mr King. Clifford stared at her in aatoni ment. She had on her hat and clo and was evidently ready for a jourr ' Didn't you know that I was go to London yesterday, to my aunt she asked. 'They stopped me, to j evidence at the inquest. So lam gc to-day, instead.' 'But—' began Clifford, and r> tated. ' You think it lonks bad for m« go away ?' said she; impatiently. ' "Vt people must think what they like, the police want me, I dare say 1 will be able to find me out,' she ad< bitterly. Clifford was shocked. ' Don't, child—don't speak like tl cried he. ' I only thought you w< be too much interested in this busi to go away until they had found the truth.' Nell moved restlessly, and lot anxious. ' When will that be ?' she as' shrugging her shoulders. ' I m stay here forever if I waited for ths Clifford leaned on his elbow s stared at her. ' Nell, do you want them to llui out ?'he asked, curiously. ■ She hesitated. Then. raisingH head quickly, she hissed out, in afl voice : ■ • No. I can't tell you why ; I vfl tell you why ; but—no, no, no!' M Then she looked at him, her I eyes filled with imploring tears. ■ He held out his arms. ■ < Never mind, Nell. Whateveß tell , me, or whatever you choose nfl tell me, I love you and I trust }'('■ the same. , ' ' Now,' she whispered, with a change from her rather hard,*^H tone to one full of gentleness a;ft^H tude, ' I don't care what theyu^H or what they do to me.' a^^| ' You will write to me, Nelwill let me write to you V vte^H Clifford, as he clung to her. ad^H But sobbing, shaking witt and grief as she was, Nell W nate. * ' You may write to me,' bc^^H 'when all this mystery is cl'd^^H But not before.' g ' But, Nell, you said that i b^^J never !' protested Clifford. la^^H ' Then you may never writm^^H answered the girl, half sufich^^J her sobs, as she tore herself « him and ran out of the roora.m^^H Her uncle was waiting outs t^^J was deeply moved, and it difficulty that he repressed all n^^H signs of the struggle between ft^^| suspicion of his niece, as he het^^H into the dog-cart. Their driver^H station was as silent as their drn^^J the town-hall on the preceding d^H been. It was not until they had^H up to the door of the railway that Nell addressed her uncle. ' Uncle George,' she said in troubled Voice, 'why can't you tru^H The innkeeper was touched. j^H about to answer her with words^H would have convinced her thatj^H ever his suspicions might be, h^H for her was as strong as ever, w^^| sight of a policeman watchinj^^B intently froze the words on his ' There's the reason why I^^J answered George Claris, h^^| 'Look how you are watched you go. They won't let you go expect.' Nell said nothing, but got^^H the dog-cart with compressed l^^H anxious eyes. Contrary not her uncle's expectations but to l^^H however, she was allowed to »^^H her journey without hindrance.^^H the train had steamed out of t^^H station the innkeeper turned and defiantly to the policeman^^H ' Well,' said he, roughly, ' you want ?' 'Nothing at present, .Mr^^H answered the man. ' When we^^H anything, you know we cai^^^| find it.' Whatever he thought of th^^^l of this statement, George C^^| prudent enough not to questic^^^^ CHAPTEE XVIII^H In the weeks which follow^^^^ departure for London the spii^^^J uncle declined day by day, red-faced, genial innkeeper an^^^| little more than the shado^^^J former self. He missed his niece more^^^H would admit even to hims^^H although it is true that his become tainted with suspici^^^H truth and honesty, he would ready and willing to receiv^^^H to forget the doubts which^^^H not wholly stifle. But Nell sighted enough to under^^^H state of feeling, as revealed t^^^H consciously by her uncle in So she made excuses for ret^^^H London, and George Clari^^^H lonely. The innkeeper, although share Clifford's entire coi^^^H I Nell, was grateful to the ;^^^^| riflter for it. But he said th^^^H forbidden him to divulge and Mr King must wait f°^^^H own time for making it kni^^^H Just before Clifford icft^^H for London he had anotht^^^^H with the detective, Hcru^^^H after having disappeared night, h&d returned to the^^^^H investigations. Hemming was reticen'^^^^^ the impression that he^^^H strongly convinced than was on the right track as trator of the murder and beries. ' Well, what are you S^^^^| asked Clifford, impatientl^^^^^J going to set another deco}^^^^| Hemming looked at hic^^^^^| ' It won't be any use,' dryly, ' until—' ' Until what ?' 'Well, sir, if I must j^^^^H Miss Claris comes back.'^^^^H Clifford controlled the^^^^H sincn an exhibition of :^^^^^| hnve closed the dctectiv^^^^H tightly. '^^^^| ' I should like you to^^^^H periment, though,' sav^^^^H you make it on my acci^^^^^H it very well done, no i^^^^^H costs.'