SHORT STORY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 2317, 15 January 1906, Page 6

SHORT STORY.

A Wife-Hunting Adventurer. He was a good-looking, smart young man of about twenty-five, who was evidently iabouring under strong but suppressed emotion. 4 lt was this way,’ ho said quickly, liko a man who brings oat a statement strongly against the grain. ‘ Miss Harvard and I have known each other from childhood. We have always been engaged in a sort of way,, and a year ago she formally consented to become my bride. Her mother also consented, and it was arranged, that we should bo married when Marion—Mias Harvard—vas nineteen, which aho will bo In another two months.’ Ho paused, but I said nothing. Experience has taught me that whoa a client is proceeding very much to tho point, tho bast course is to give hsm his head. About three months ago,’ ho continued, * Mrs Harvard began to talk a geed deal about ho unwisdom of boy aud girl marriages, and hen in a very short time sho told ms ono lay that sho had decided to withdraw her consent to the engagement. Sho talked a 'ot of rot abcut it on the high-falutin tack—he Uuo happiness of hor child, and tho higher oourso, and that sort of thing—but I know as well as possible that her motives sue mere mean moreen ary ones.’ 1 A moment,’ I said, ‘ Your own moans were no doubt well known to hor.’ ‘Yes. I am well to do, that’s what I am. [ have a small capital which brings mo in ■Lreo hundred a year ; and I have a stockbioking business, which I Lave worked at steeduy for three years, and which in this last year has brought mo a clear profit of two hundred pounds. It promises well, and arght lead to a fortune. Mrs Harvard is a widow on an officer’s pension. When she dies, her daughter will bo almost penniless. I don’t care a bit about that. I love tho girL She is a sweet girl, aud as pretty as an angel; but I will spare you that. Moreover, I was perfectly willing that tho mother should live with us when wo were married, and she would have benefited considerably by tho arrangement. In fact, she was delighted until ’ * Until (he richer man came on tho scene,’ I struck in.

‘Yes, that’s it—though how you guessed it beats mo. Do you know who ho is,?’ * JS'ot until you toll me,’ I replied, smiling at bis amazement at so easy a guess. *Ho is a supercilious beast of a Gorman—talks largely about Lis estates iu Silesia, which 1 believe are of tbo same character as castles in Spain. He turned up shortly before Mis Harvard gave me tho cold shoulder, and ho has been continually at tho house ever since. Marion tells me that her mother is doing all she can to force her to marry him, and that her life is rendered miseiatlo in consequence.’ ‘ What do you with me to do ?’ * I want you to prevent Miss Harvard from marrying the count.’ ‘Elopo with her, I should suggest. That would settle tho question at ouco.’ 1 was getting u little tired of this love story, for i could not geo that it led in any way to business for me.

‘Ah, but she is not that kind of girl. 1 believe she loves mo devotedly, but she has such a strong sense of duty that she won’t marry mo without her mother’s consent, and I fear’—his face went quite white as be paused—* What I want you to do is to prove : hat tbo Count is no Count, but a swindler and impostor.’ ‘ That is a laigo order.. Hava you any grounds for the idea.* ‘ No, none, except that ho looks an utter scoundrel— and— well an odd (ting—l have travelled iu Germany, and ccme across German officers, aud have always been much amuicd hy ihaisuy they bow, clicking their their heels together and bending nearly double. Now f have noticed that (bo Count dees not bow in this way. Ho nods, and moves a leg like a clumsy Englishman. Yet if ho is a Silesian Couut, he must have served in the German army and learnt their ways.’ I attached no importance to his first reason. That, of course, was mere jealousy. There was more in tho second; but then perhaps this Count had a passion for imitating English habits.

I elicited from my visitor, Mr Lewis Halton, that both his own family and the one in which ho vwis interested, lived in the neighbourhood of He came up every day to his business. The Count, according to his own statement, had been residing cl a fashionable address in the West End, but Lad lately removed to a hotel at Kingston—no doubt attracted by the charms of Mies Harvard. Mr Ualton believed that the acquaintance Lad been made at Eastbourne in the summer.

‘ls it possible,’ I inquired, f that this Count may believe that in marrying Mies Harvard I e would bo marrying money ?’ ‘By Jo\e, I never thought of that. Well ho might. You rco Mrs Harvard is very comfortably off now, and she is groat at keeping up appearances. She has always calculated that her daughter would marry, and so has made no attempt at saving for her. I should doubt if anyone in the place besides myself knew that her income dies with her, and ten to one she has not told him.’

But then, on the other hand, it might bo that the Count was really rich, and as disinterestedly in love with the pretty girl as Mr .fiaiton bimtoif. Still it was clearly not my business to act as advocate for the other side.

I went down to Kingston with Mr Halton to take a look at the Count. Chance favored me, and we saw him. * Limped. I never noticed it. I see now. Do s on call that a limp? It seems to me rather as if the leg were a little stiff,’ replied Mr Halton. ‘ What do you think of him ?’

‘ i am not one of these marvellous beings who Con tell you the whole of a man’s past life by simply looking at him,’ I nnsweied. As toon as 1 got hack to town I started off to the German Embassy and inquired of an exceedingly courteous official whether there was a Silesian noble named Count von Thoning. After references to a book he replied that there was. ‘ Are you aware whether ho is in England at the pre c ent time ?’ ‘ No. Wo have no information.’ ‘lsuppofe that if he were, it would bo known here ?’

‘ Well, not for certain. You see it depends whether he calls, and if ho were only over tor a short lime, or ouly a short time in London, he might not.’ 1 thanked him and departed, feeling that the balance of what I had learnt was decidedly in favour of the Count. Still, there was that other piece of evidence, and so I went straight to tho fashionable address. The house proved to bo a pile of most expensive flats. Keally a man must have money to live there. I rang again, and after some time a slatternly girl came up tho stairs.

4 Count von Thoning lived here, didn’t he ?’ I began. 4 No.*

‘Perhaps you have not been hero long enough to remember him ?’ I said—feeling moro cheerful.

* Oh, I remember him,’ she said with disdain. 4 Oaly ho didn’c live hero. He had Lie letters look iu.’

I went away feeling that I had scored one big trick in (be game. I had convicted tho Count of ono piece of imposture ; why not of another ? -1 resolved on a bold stroke! I wont back to the Gorman Embassy, obtained a second interview, and explained my case in full to tho courteous official. . ’:*>:•>

4 Can you give mo Count von Thoning’s address,’ I concluded, ‘ eo that I.way wire

and sottlo this question whether ho is in England or not ?’ ‘ Do you road Gorman ?’ he inquired. 4 No.’

‘ That's a pity. Bat, however, I will read to you. This booh,’ he said, taking np a squat volume, ‘is the second volume of the Almanack do Gotha, and gives details about all the Counts of tho .Gorman Empire, including their addresses. It says that the Count von Thoning is a very old Silesian noble with largo estates—lives at Sohlcss Thoningsteiu—is aged fifty-seven;' 4 No, my man is not more than thirty.’ 4 Wait. Ho has boon twice married; by the first wife ha had only daughters. You observe that if ho had a son, that son would bo also a Count—yea. he had a sou by tho second marriage, Count Frederick von Thoning—which might bo abbreviated to Count von Thoning here out I seo that this son is only eleven years old.’ While he continued in this drawling strain I went up and down on a perfect switchback of emotion, and when ho finished, I felt as if I had reached the safe haven of solid fact.

‘ Then my man is an impostor ?’ I said triumphantly. 4 I really fear that bo has no right to stylo himself Couut veu Thoning,’ said my diplomatist diplomatically. 4 Should you have any objection to certify that fact ?’

4 1 should have no objection to certify that tho Almanack do Gotha states that tho onlytwo members of the von Thoning family who have a right to tho title of Count arc aged fifty-seven and eleven—if that will meet your views.’ Armed with this document, I wired to Mr Halton, made an appointment with him, and met him tho next day at Kingston in tho afternoon. When I told him my nows, ho was nearly frantic with horror at the thought that his beloved Miss Harvard should have been exposed to the contamination of tho impostor’s presence, and secondly at tha scandal which the exposure would cause. 4 1 think I can avert the latter,’ I said. After somo thought I concocted the following letter. 4 One who is acquainted with tho circumstances of tho von Thoning family, and also with the seminary where the art or dragging tho log is taught, advises tha face card that Kingston is not a healthy place for holidays. Another term at school must result and the leg become stiffer.* I delivered it in person at the Count’s hotel, sending in tho message that it was left by a gentleman from Scotland Yard. It proved effective, for tho Count was never seen again in Kingston, and I heard subsequently that he left hurriedly that same evening. Mrs Harvard, being a sensible woman, was only too glad to cover up tho Count’s defection by announcing her daughter’s engagement to Mr Halton. 4 1 cannot make out why he should have gene off in such a hurry ’ said tho latter to mo as ho handed over a handsome cheque. 4 You certainly managed it liko a magician.’ I repeated the words of my letter. 4 Yee, but I don’t understand at all. What does it mean i ’’

‘ Why, that when I first saw him I noticed that he walked with the peculiar gait which convicts acquire by dragging at tho chain. I alluded to that iu' my letter, implied that if ho played in Kingston he might have to take tho chain, and suggested that inquiries were being made about him at Scotland Yard. Also, I celled him tho Face Card, which is extra to the pack, and does not come into play. If ho had not been a convict and a sham he would not have understood—like you—as it was, you see, ho bolted at once. It was just a game of bluff and I won.’—A Peivate Detective.